Boundaries of Propriety
by Sensara
Summary: L'Vek, head of the Vulcan Advisory Council on Earth, reluctantly enters a cultural exchange program with a human woman. Determined to satisfy Commodore Forrest and be done with it, he slowly realizes the wonderful and terrible trap he has laid for himself. Rated T for safety, some chapters will be M.
1. First Encounter

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing except the OC. Star Trek is the property of Paramount, and I, like others on this site, only play with their toys. **_

_**What is it with me and insignificant characters? This story follows an unnamed Vulcan from the episode "First Flight", listed as "Vulcan Adviser 1" in Memory Alpha if you're interested. Anyway, I don't own him, and he only has like ten lines, so if you haven't seen the episode, you're not missing much. This story is just for kicks.**_

"I don't mean any offense, but you and your staff are easily confused by our customs and sayings. I think a cultural attache would be a good idea. You'd learn more about us, and we wouldn't have to waste as much time in our meetings explaining something that to us is perfectly clear."

L'Vek stiffened his jaw and allowed the human officer to proceed him up the stairwell. "Commodore Forrest, although your proposal sounds interesting, I fail to see the logic in investing in this program."

"You want logic, Mr. Adviser?" Forrest challenged. "I think it's very logical to get to know one's allies, so one can learn cultural taboos to avoid, emotional minefields to dodge and the like. And I think we'd be much more apt to cooperate with your timetable for us if we knew you were at least trying to understand us, to get to know us."

The Vulcan adviser raised an eyebrow at his aid and tilted his head. "We will consider it, commodore. But perhaps you could enlighten us as to the type of things you would have us learn in this...cultural exchange, shall we call it?"

Forrest paused. "Well, I imagine question and answer sessions would be fortuitous. You ask the cultural attache about aspects of human culture that you don't understand, and they answer you. Also, if you'd like to observe cultural habits or special occasions, perhaps that could be arranged."

L'Vek cast his eyes downward and did not respond, but turned his mind to any rational excuse he could think of to back out of this cultural exchange. His mate had died nearly fifteen years previous, and less than nine months away was when he would have to face his inner demon again. The last time he had gone through it, a young Vulcan intern at the embassy had volunteered to help him through it, but she had returned to Vulcan since in pursuit of her career. When unbonded males like himself neared their time, the women of the embassy could tell, and decided amongst themselves who would help the male. No doubt that would be the procedure for him in nine months, if his family did not press a mate on him or force him to return to Vulcan. He wished neither; his work was here, serving the High Command and seeing that the human did not trip over their feet in their eagerness to explore beyond their system. And his previous marriage had been unfulfilled, empty...it was a loss to him to lose his mate, but his grief over her passing was short-lived. She never cared for him, nor he for her, and he could only hope that the women of the embassy would be willing to help him again.

He raised his eyes when he heard the clicking of heels coming down the stairwell, and a young woman rounded the corner and looked straight into his eyes. She continued down the stairs, her curious gaze raking over him, then quickly returning to his eyes. He breathed in a calming breath and looked away, but a sharp gasp from her brought his attention back to the woman.

…

It was days like this that frustrated Emmie to no end. Jack Carter was at it again, this time slinking up to her at the distribution console, then later trying to corner her in the break room on her floor. Their old coffee maker was prone to malfunction, so she used that as an excuse to get away from Carter, and one of the secretaries saved her by calling her unwanted suitor away to a meeting. Still, she hiked up to the third floor and used their break room to make some tea, as their stove was also malfunctioning. Her department, the Public Communications Office, was oft overlooked in favor of actual officers, and she was ready to complain to HR in her department about their faulty break room.

Emmie drank her tea on the third floor in blessed silence, but after five minutes, she knew it was time for her to return to work. She hurried down the stairs, thinking it would be a less-traveled route, but she discovered she was wrong when she saw Commodore Forrest and two Vulcans climbing the stairs.

Both of the aliens were older men, dressed as usual in their subdued but ornate robes, austere expressions on their faces and their chins high and proud. She had seen plenty of Vulcans coming and going on the Command level of Starfleet Headquarters, but she had never met one personally. They kept to themselves, and she got the distinct impression that they didn't want to become more social towards humans.

One of the Vulcans, a man with silver hair, raised his head and looked her in the eye, and she paused a millisecond to admire his lovely blue eyes. He held her gaze for a long moment as she continued down the stairs, and she took the liberty of examining the rest of him: delicately pointed ears, a slim nose, and a body hidden by layers of fabric. It was a shame they wore so many clothes; it would be interesting to see if there was a nice body hiding under all those robes to match those lovely pointed ears. But this Vulcan probably didn't even notice her, though she couldn't help but find his gaze again as she passed him on the stairwell.

Unfortunately for her, she was wearing heels that day, and this Vulcan provided the perfect distraction for her to miss a step and nearly tumble down the stairs. Her hand flailed, trying to find the railing, but she felt nothing but air, and then her hand went down to break her fall. But suddenly, her momentum stopped, and she realized she was in someone's arms.

These arms were strong and muscular even though they were veiled by heavy cloth, and she could feel their warmth through the robes. She was pressed tightly to a strong chest that radiated delicious heat, and it dawned on her that she was not being held by a human.

Before she looked up, though, she quickly examined herself and found that she was uninjured. However, the area right below the hem of her pants was also pressed to this warm, muscular body, and unexpected pleasure zipped down her spine as her nether regions rejoiced at the feel of this alien specimen holding her close.

She breathed in a breath to calm herself and was momentarily distracted by a musky, spicy scent that made a fresh wave of excitement pulsate through her core, but finally she calmed herself down enough to dare look into this alien's eyes.

She could have groaned in embarrassment as she discovered it was the Vulcan with the lovely blue eyes and silver hair who was holding her securely to his person, and she couldn't bring herself to relax her muscles when she comprehended that fact. It was bad enough to fall down a stairwell and risk injury, but to fall in front of the Vulcans? Could this day get any worse?

Though she felt like she could cry in frustration, her body was still excited at this strange new contact, and she separated her nether region from his lest he notice just how excited she was. One of his hands was resting on the small of her back and the other supported her left elbow, the warmth of his hands seeping through her clothes. Blood rushed down her body, and heat pooled at the apex of her thighs at the feel of this heat. By heaven...she never knew being held in the arms of a Vulcan would feel this good.

He quirked an eyebrow at her, seemingly absorbed in examining her for injuries, and he finally opened his mouth.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice soft, but trembling with deep, masculine vibrato. She bit her lip to stop her jaw from falling slack; his voice reverberated through her, making yet another wave of arousal crash over her, and it didn't help matter that his voice was low and strangely appealing with a hint of a lofty accent. His voice wrapped around her sense of hearing and caressed it, and she forced her eyes to stay open when they threatened to flutter shut.

"I'm fine," she replied, ashamed that she sounded completely breathless.

"Mr. Adviser," Forrest said, as if he were afraid to speak. They both turned to him. "You can let go of her now."

The Vulcan immediately retracted his hands and backed away, and Emmie leaned against the railing and tried to still her pounding heart. Adrenaline and arousal were still coursing through her veins, and she looked away from her alien savior, aware that her face was burning.

"You've got to be more careful, Ms. Sadir," the commodore continued, sounding as if he were trying to diffuse the heavy tension with lightheartedness. Emmie appreciated his efforts, but it didn't help the fact that she wished she could dissolve into thin air. She'd never been more embarrassed in her life, but she smiled wryly at the human officer and tried to play it off as if it were nothing.

"It's the heels," she said, aware that her voice was trembling. "Missed a step there." She wanted to laugh, to make it seem like she didn't wish she could die at that moment. She could feel the back of her throat constricting with the onset of tears, but she swallowed the tightness and held her chin high.

"You're sure you're not hurt?" the commodore asked, concerned for her now. She took a few more steps down the stairs and looked back up at him.

"Embarrassed, but unharmed, commodore." Forrest smiled and turned to leave.

"Mr. Adviser," she called softly after them. The blue-eyed Vulcan looked back at her. "Thank you for catching me," she said sincerely, offering him a soft smile. He nodded curtly.

"Be careful on these stairs, Ms. Sadir," he said firmly, then turned and followed the commodore up to the next flight of steps. But after she got to the next landing, under the premise of checking her shoes she glanced back up at him, only to find him looking back at her with a pensive gaze. She smiled at him one last time, then nodded and continued on her way.

…

The humans had given L'Vek an office at Command, though he rarely used it. Today, however, he had another meeting with the engineers building the NX-Alpha, humans' first ship designed to go warp 2. The barrage of untamed emotions from the team nearly made him ill, and that was precisely the reason he disliked staying at Command. But this day of all days he had no choice but to linger here. He had been reviewing reports for three hours straight and felt the need to take a break, and he leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together.

Though he did not mean for them to, his thoughts drifted back to the day before, to the stairwell and the woman, to Ms. Sadir, as the commodore had called her. He closed his eyes and relived the memory, remembering the strange sensations that had risen up in him as he had held her in his arms. Strange sensations indeed...he could almost feel the foreign but pleasant coolness of her skin, see the delicate curves of her arm, see the shocked and ashamed look in her gray eyes...

His eyes snapped open when he heard the doorbell chime, and he called for his visitor to enter and sat up straighter. His aid strode in, looking irked.

"There is a human woman outside bearing tea," his aid said stiffly. "She insists on visiting you. Should I turn her away?"

"Did she give you her name?"

"She says her surname is Sadir."

L'Vek's serene expression fell slightly, and he swallowed. "Send her in," he said calmly, folding his hands on the desk. His aid frowned, but he nodded and exited the office, and a few minutes later, Ms. Sadir strode in, bearing a mug of tea in her hands as his aid had said.

The woman was dressed in a skirt today that showed off tanned and shapely legs as well as her curves, and he raised an eyebrow at her. It did not daunt her; she walked toward him with her head held high and her gray eyes alight with defiance. His eyes swept over her features, over her thin black brows and her long, dark brown hair pulled back into a loose bun, her thin, aquiline nose and pink lips, her tanned complexion and fiery gaze.

He stiffened slightly; there was something in this situation that didn't settle quite right with him. He wondered to himself if she had come to him of her own volition or if someone had put her up to visiting him. Surely the commodore wouldn't dare interfere with his personal affairs like this? _Had_ the commodore sent her? Humans had the irksome habit of interfering in everyone else's affairs but their own, so if the human officer had put her up to this, it wouldn't surprise him. It displeased him, and he regarded her with a cold gaze.

The aroma of the tea hit his nose when she was barely five strides away from him, and he let the tiniest bemused frown furrow his brow before he let his expression return to cold apathy. She wordlessly set the tea in front of him and pushed it toward him, and he stared up at her in bemusement.

She gestured to the mug. "It's the least I could do after you saved my neck yesterday." He noticed that she spoke with a slight accent, and he found it...intriguing. He immediately berated himself, knowing that he should not find these annoying human interesting in any fashion. They were close-minded and probably neurotic, if his limited exposure to their culture was any indication.

He looked down at the steaming tea, frowning at it as if it had offended him. He didn't want to drink her tea, but his mouth had gone dry for some inexplicable reason, so it would be logical to wet his mouth as to not hinder speech. He raised the mug to his lips and took a sip, then raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"This is...acceptable," he murmured after putting the mug back down on the desk.

"It's green tea with ginger," she said with a soft smile. "I'm glad you like it."

She backed away slightly and turned as if to walk away. "If there's nothing else, I think I'll go now."

He stared at her, then nodded and took another sip of tea as he watched her leave over the rim of the mug. It was only after the door was closed and he was alone again that it occurred to him just what she had done. A human woman, young and aesthetically pleasing (by the standards of her people, not by his), had offered him drink, and he had accepted without question. She had no idea of his unbonded state, so she could not be blamed for her careless flirtation, nor did he know of any human who was aware of the gesture she had accidentally made towards him. To offer an unbonded male sustenance of any kind was to imply that she had the resources to care for him, that she would provide for him. Unintentionally, Ms. Sadir had just offered herself to him as a mate.

He refused to think on the matter further, but he found his thoughts drifting once again to their encounter in the stairwell...

_He had heard her gasp and immediately turned, and acting on pure instinct, caught her and held her to him until she steadied herself. His fingers brushed the skin of her arm, and he felt a flood of fear and surprise, then relief, then apprehension and shame. She only raised her eyes to his chest, and he felt her breathing increase for a few moments before she lifted her eyes to meet his._

_She captured his gaze and seemingly held him there, gray boring into blue, and he noticed that the scent of her hair, the feel of her pressed to his body felt..._

He snapped back to reality and bowed his head over his reports, determined to get some work done before the meeting later that day.

…

The meeting was long and tedious as always, and L'Vek was grateful for it to end. The engineers had come in the room armed with turbulent emotions and half-thought-out facts, and it was little surprise that their requests had all been denied. They stormed out to go back to their drawing boards, and he sighed in relief, ready to escape to the Vulcan Consulate.

"Mr. Adviser!"

He stopped and closed his eyes momentarily as the commodore caught up with him. Forrest smiled politely and stood up straighter.

"I'd like to inform you that if you're still thinking about that cultural exchange program I want to initiate, I found a volunteer to be your cultural attache. I believe you've met her."

L'Vek turned and frowned slightly at the human officer. "Who is she?"

"Her name is Emmie Sadir." The commodore paused, then smiled. "All I ask is that you consider it, Mr. Adviser."

The commodore then strode off with an entourage of officers behind him, and L'Vek stood there with his aid before escaping out into the cold San Francisco weather.


	2. Coffee and Tea

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Wow, I'm amazed at the amount of support this story is getting! Thank you so much to bina W, LoyaulteMeLie, tahmtahm, Nyotarules, and maba7x, but especially to Fameanon for letting me bounce ideas off her head. ;D.**_

Emmie stretched her arms above her head, grateful that it was finally her day off. She padded across the cool tile floor in her apartment, lingering over her morning coffee. Cool blue shadows spilled across the floor as she crossed dusty beams of sunlight from the wall of windows, and she took another sip of her java as she scrolled through her messages. Her mother had sent her yet another invitation to visit her and Emmie's grandmother in Cairo, and a friend from college was in town and wanted to go out for drinks sometime and catch up, but the last message sent to her caught her eye and made her frown.

She immediately deleted the message without even opening it, glaring at the wooden lattice-work hanging on her wall, as if the art were the cause of this. Carter simply would not stop harassing her, and it was getting to the point where she was ready to file a restraining order against the man. She glanced around the room and sighed; the magic of the morning seemed stolen away as the chill of reality settled over her. She sat on her couch and leaned against the plush pillows, contemplating her problem. Emmie soon realized that she was being too nice to Jack, that she needed to set firm boundaries and make her feelings (or lack thereof) clear to him. If he persisted after that...she would go to HR and ask them for advice.

Her heart already seemed lighter, and she took another sip of her coffee with a wan smile. She had completed most of her chores the previous evening and was free to do what she wished today, and she took a moment to appreciate the freedom. But she didn't feel like relaxing today. Rising quickly from the couch, she made herself a list and grabbed her keys, then headed out the door.

…

Dusty beams of sunlight crossed L'Vek's desk at the Vulcan Consulate, but he could not concentrate this morning. His meditation had been fitful, perhaps due to the strain of working with these humans for so long. Maybe returning to Vulcan for his Time would be fortuitous...

He pushed his PADD away in a fit of uncharacteristic frustration, and he leaned back in his chair and tried to examine himself from an objective point of view. He was nearing his Time, yes, but he wouldn't exhibit symptoms for another three months. No, his irritability and impatience of late had to be due to his unbonded state. He had been warned against remaining unmarried, but in his haste to follow his career, he had thrown caution to the winds and decided not to take a mate. His family had been protesting ever since, and his clan mother was particularly displeased with his "arrogant disregard for his and other's safety". It was true that his current state could be potentially dangerous, especially when he neared his Time, but no female had caught his eye, and none of the candidates his clan mother sent him to review for marriage had interested him either.

Unbidden, an image of Ms. Sadir setting tea before him rose before his mind's eye, and he quickly banished it from his mind. Emotional, childlike, reckless: these humans were no more worthy to mate with a Vulcan than an Andorian! The thought...

He quickly banished the warm spring of interest that bubbled in his abdomen, determined to put Ms. Sadir and thoughts of their encounter out of his head. He didn't need any distractions from his work, much less a human woman...

L'Vek passed a hand over his eyes and tried to concentrate on reading his latest report, but it was fruitless. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over for five minutes before he realized he wasn't absorbing any information. He sighed and stood up, then nearly stormed out of his office in his haste to find fresh air and a change of scenery.

The Consulate gardens gave him no relief, and it was with reluctance that he requested a pass to go outside the walls. Usually he traveled with at least an aid, but he found he wanted to be alone to think.

After he had traveled a block from the consulate and was truly among the humans, he slowed his pace, winding his way through a nature park, which today was sparsely occupied, but still lively. He stared up at the trees and breathed in the cool autumn air, and it was strangely calming and engaging to watch the humans interact with each other. There was a group of teenage boys to his immediate left throwing a brightly colored disc to each other, and a few pairs of young adults were lounging in the grass, presumably lovers completely engrossed in each other, with no concern for their fellow humans' opinions. He turned his eyes away from them and chose to watch the boys throw the disc, and he stopped abruptly in his tracks when the disc whizzed over his head and one of the young men ran after it. The boy turned mid-stride and apologized before doing a double take and slowing his pace. Without another word, he turned and ran after the disc, and L'Vek moved on.

The trees encroached closer to the path, casting cool shade across the paving stones. In this section of the park, he saw a sharp increase in park benches, but many were unoccupied. He continued walking, lost in his thoughts, but a sudden burst of sunlight brought his attention back to his surroundings, and he looked up. L'Vek stopped.

She was sitting on a park bench no more than twenty feet away, reading a book in the sunshine. Her hair was braided back over her shoulder, and her legs were casually crossed. He considered turning back and returning to the consulate as to not encourage any more fraternization with this human, but it seemed she could feel his gaze on her. She looked up and her gray eyes widened and brightened, and a smile broke out across her face like the dawn cresting over the trees in the morning. He quickly suppressed the strange lift in his abdomen and slowly approached her.

"Mr. Adviser," Emmie greeted him, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "Of all the places to run into you."

He raised an eyebrow, taking that as an inquiry as to why he was here. "I felt the need to take a walk," he said simply.

"May I join you?"

He swallowed. "If you wish," he said somewhat unenthusiastically. Although she seemed to find his presence agreeable (her reasons escaped him; she didn't even know his name, not that he was aware), he still desired to minimize his contact with her. He would contemplate this desire later when he was alone.

"Where are you headed? Or did you even have a destination?"

He raised both eyebrows. "I believe the purpose of a walk is to simply walk and think. I was not aware a destination was required."

She grinned. "I was just wondering. If you want to be alone, I was planning on going to market later, but if you'll let me join you on your stroll, there's a coffee shop back the way you came. Let me get you something."

L'Vek stared at her a moment, saw the hope glimmering in her gray irises, and sighed. "That would be acceptable." He wasn't sure why he was agreeing to let her join him, or why his need to be alone to think had suddenly disappeared. The Vulcan gestured for her to lead him on, and she waited for him to fall in step beside her.

"I don't know your name, Mr. Adviser," she said as they passed the boys playing with the colored disc. "I hardly think that's it."

He raised an eyebrow. "My name is L'Vek."

She nodded. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Has the commodore talked to you yet?"

"About what?"

"That cultural exchange program. I thought it'd be an interesting experience, so I volunteered to be the cultural attache."

"I have not given it much thought."

They walked in silence for a while, exiting the park and strolling down a city street. "May I ask why you don't want to involve yourself in this program?" She almost sounded accusatory.

He sighed. "I have plenty of work to do already. I don't mean to offend you, but your program sounds like a waste of time."

"Why?"

L'Vek paused, truly at a loss for words. He thought she might descend into an emotional tirade, or at least be silent, but she had stumped him with a simple question.

"I have my reasons," he said, wanting to drop the subject. She turned to him.

"If you think we're trying to insult your intelligence, we're not. Or at least I'm not. I'm sure you must have _some _questions to ask me. I bet you can think of several things we do that simply baffle you."

"Yes, your need to ask incessant questions is one."

To his surprise, she laughed. "We are curious creatures, Mr. Adviser. We love to learn and explore. Surely you've seen this in the humans you work with at Command."

"Yes, the rampant eagerness to explore without acknowledging the dangers one may face in deep space. I see it every day."

She smiled ruefully. "Some might say we live to find danger. And throughout our history of space flight before warp technology, we had a history of being extremely careful."

He turned to her, but she stared straight ahead before meeting his gaze. She smiled at him, and he felt that foreign lift in his abdomen again, accompanied this time by a tingling in his fingertips. He frowned at the pavement; arguing with her was strangely enjoyable.

His thoughts were interrupted when they reached the coffee shop, and he looked around the establishment with a curious gaze. It was light and airy and spacious, and the walls without windows were partially plastered with white paper, on which were drawings and messages in various languages.

"I don't see any Arabic up there, do you?" she asked lightly as they joined the line. He raised his eyebrows.

"I do not know what it looks like."

Her eyes brightened. "When we sit down, I'll show you."

They fell silent as the line progressed, and L'Vek couldn't help but notice that several of the men in the establishment were staring at his companion with curious gazes. His fingertips were tingling again, and he turned his attention to Emmie when they reached the front of the line.

"What do you want?"

He frowned. "Whatever you wish to get me."

She grinned at him, and he noted that the mood of the male behind him had taken a sharp downswing. She ordered coffee for herself and green tea for him, then led him to a table in the corner. It did not escape his notice that several pairs of eyes followed them to their table, and the majority of the glances directed at him were dark. The eyes taking in his companion were hungry.

She didn't seem to notice the amount of attention she was getting, and something deep inside him was inordinately pleased that she was focused on him. But he tamped the sensation down before it had a chance to escape the shadows of his being, and he watched as she took an ink marker from a cup on the table and moved the napkin stand so she could write on the paper tablecloth.

Her script flowed from the marker, elegant and thin, and he was reminded somewhat of Vulcan writing. What he found the most interesting was that she wrote from right to left, opposite of the normal order in the English language.

"Did you intend to write that starting on the right hand side of the paper?"

She smiled. "I did. Arabic script always begins on the right and goes left."

He raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating."

She looked up at him, her expression one of surprise and warmth, and he could not bring himself to break her gaze. But after a few moments she looked down again to what she had written.

"What does it say?" he asked calmly.

"That's my name," she replied simply.

He raised an eyebrow. "It looks...aesthetically pleasing. But tell me, Ms. Sadir...what is the purpose of the decor on the walls? Why decorate with messages, and not artwork?"

She smiled. "As far as I know, they've been doing it for years."

"Yes, but why?"

Emmie stared up at the messages. "The aesthetic is debatable, but I think I can answer your question." Her gray eyes found his. "Who doesn't want to be remembered, if only for a moment in time?"

He shook his head. "But what is the purpose?"

She opened her mouth, but did not respond. It seemed he had rendered her speechless for the moment, and she seemed lost in thought as their drinks came and were set before them. L'Vek did not pay any attention to the woman who waited on them, but focused on Emmie, waiting for her answer.

"To make an impermanent life as permanent as we can," she said after sipping her coffee. "We long to be remembered after we are gone, and I think that springs from our fear of death, of the unknown. Though we are simply a speck of sand in the desert, we long to stand out among the dunes."

He frowned in amazement at her analogy, and she glanced at him with an uncertain look. "Does that answer your question?"

He bowed his head and examined the other messages scrawled on the tablecloth and took a sip of his tea.

"L'Vek?"

He glanced up at her and took in her concerned glance. "Are you all right?" she murmured, putting her coffee cup down.

He could only nod. "I am fine."

She stared at him a moment longer, then raised her marker and began to write again, this time scribbling five lines, perhaps a hasty attempt at prose or poetry. He was intrigued nonetheless, absorbed in the sight of her hand moving over the tabletop and of the script flowing from the tip of the marker, and he glanced up at her when she put the marker back in the cup.

"What did you write?" he asked softly, staring at her handwriting.

She glanced down at it, then began to recite words in a tongue he had never heard before. He didn't have a translator on him at the moment, and he found he didn't want one. The sound of the language she uttered was enchanting in its own right, like music on her tongue.

"Say it again, in that language," he said softly. "Slowly."

Her eyes flashed with an expression he couldn't read, and she obeyed his request, slowing her speech and lingering on certain words. He found his eyes fluttering closed for a moment, and he folded his hands on the table and leaned back in his chair.

"What are you saying?" he asked after a beat of silence.

She paused, staring at him, then glanced down at her writing. "_I have the thought/ that eyes as blue as yours/ have never lingered on the sea_." Here she hesitated and glanced up at him. "_I wonder if they would rather gaze/ upon the skies above the dunes_."

He frowned at the tabletop and requested that she repeat it. She obeyed, reciting the poem slowly for him, and afterward he pondered it in silence. It took him a full two minutes to come up with what she might be trying to say.

"Who is the 'you' in the poem?" he asked tentatively.

She smiled wryly. "I thought it would be obvious."

He stared at her. "I don't understand."

Emmie smiled and took another sip of her coffee, regarding him with open amusement over the rim of her cup. "I'm talking about you, L'Vek."

He raised both eyebrows and gazed with new amazement down at the poem. He would have never expected this morning that he would be drinking tea across from a human woman who could apparently compose a poem in little more than a minute. He admitted to himself (very privately) that she was an intriguing creature, to say the least.

"And I assume your inquiry as to whether my eyes would rather gaze upon a desert sky means that you would like to take me to this place?"

She grinned and nodded. "Have you ever been to the pyramids at Giza, Mr. Adviser?"

He shook his head. "Memphis, Egypt?"

Again, he negated it. "Cairo?"

He sighed. "I have never been outside the San Francisco-Sausalito area."

Emmie rested her chin on her balled-up fist and stared at him with a level gaze. "Well, it's no wonder you're so unenthusiastic about this program. If I had my way, the first thing I'd do is at least show you the Grand Canyon."

"My assignment does not include excursions."

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "And you wonder why we are so confusing? Have you ever made an attempt to study human culture?"

He shook his head. "My assignment does not permit such things."

Her eyes narrowed then, and he got the distinct impression that he was being challenged. "Then why are you on this planet?"

He narrowed his eyes in return. "I was assigned here as the head of the Vulcan Advisory Council."

She shook her head at him. "Unacceptable. If you want to understand human culture, if you want to know why we become so uncooperative when you push us, then you're going to have to step out of your comfort zone and take some chances."

L'Vek had no answer for her. Deep down, he knew she was absolutely right, but he couldn't bring himself to admit that to her. Her accusatory expression softened to a gentle smile.

"I know the weather in this city must be uncomfortable for you. It's always cold, even in winter and spring, and the moisture seeps into your bones."

He stared at her, bemused.

"You'd like Egypt," she continued. "And if I had my way, the Vulcan Consulate wouldn't be in this dripping metropolis. You'd be sitting pretty among the oldest monuments humans have ever made. You _are_ from a desert planet, are you not?"

He still had no answers for her. He drained his tea and looked at the clock on the wall, and he sighed.

"Perhaps it would be best if I returned to the consulate," he murmured, still aware of the dirty glances many of the male patrons were giving him.

She was still for a moment, then she nodded and hailed the waitress. They walked out of the coffee shop and back toward the consulate, and once he was a block away, he turned to her and thanked her for the tea and the conversation.

"I will...consider your offer, Ms. Sadir," he said earnestly. His interest had been piqued, not only at the prospect of finding a place on this planet that was hot and dry, but of the woman who had eloquently answered his questions and had composed poetry in less than a minute. Intriguing creature indeed.

She grinned at him, and he blinked a few times as if that would dispel the tingling in his fingertips. "That's all I ask," she said quietly, then bid him good day and made her way back down the street.


	3. A Rising Tide

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thanks so much to Fameanon, maba7x, bina W, snapeissexy, dinopoodle, Nyotarules, tahmtahm, Becool258 and the anonymous reviewer for your reviews! So much support! I love you all!**_

_**Oh, and L'Vek: sweetheart, the tingling in your fingers is a natural reaction in males of your species when in the presence of a woman they find attractive. And judging by your thought processes lately, you do find her desirable, and I submit that your embarrassment over a natural reaction is highly illogical. (To whoever submitted that review as L'Vek, please continue, that was brilliant!)**_

_**Cursing in the last part. Fair warning, k?**_

L'Vek closed the door to his personal rooms and accessed his messages, pulling up the profiles of the fifteen women his clan mother had given him to choose from. Perhaps here lay the answer to his troubles, but as he went down the list, he didn't feel the slightest twinge of interest in these candidates. He sighed and hastily replied to his clan mother that he did not want these women, and to send another list.

With that bit of business out of the way, he leaned back in his chair and contemplated the morning. It had been...pleasant, unexpectedly so, and now that he was alone with time to think and complete his work, he found himself restless once again. The hostile stares of his fellow patrons had been uncomfortable, but not once did he feel restless with Emmie...

He quickly revised that to Ms. Sadir in his thoughts and hastily checked his other messages. Inwardly, he groaned at the inquiry from Commodore Forrest regarding L'Vek's opinion on this exchange program. Although he was tempted to dismiss the message and be done with it, he decided instead to meditate on his reasons to not engage in this program.

He folded his hands and closed his eyes, and he found his thoughts drifting to his conversation with Forrest in the stairwell.

"_You want logic, Mr. Adviser?" Forrest challenged. "I think we'd be more apt to cooperate if we knew you were at least trying to understand us, to get to know us."_

The High Command would rather have complacent humans than defiant humans, and any effort on his part to smooth relations with their allies would most definitely be appreciated.

"_If you think we're trying to insult your intelligence, we're not. Or at least I'm not. I'm sure you must have _some _questions to ask me. I bet you can think of several things we do that simply baffle you."_

She was right, humans were utterly confusing. He wondered often how they managed to survive with their continually fluctuating emotions and their severe lack of logic. He admitted (again, very privately) that it would be interesting to learn how they managed to survive, how despite incredible odds, they continued on, sometimes setting off sparks of creative genius that completely altered their history. Emmie could tell him, if she could so easily explain the decorations in the cafe, and link it to a basic human need.

He berated himself; he would have to stop referring to her as such in his mind. She was Ms. Sadir, and she could never be more. He doubted such a frail woman such as her could survive his Time, much less give him what he needed. He would choose a Vulcan wife, and that was that.

But as to this program...

Now he could see the logic in accepting the commodore's proposal, but he would still have to clear it with his superiors and come up with a schedule for this exchange. It was yet more work for him to do, but he could see now that the outcome might be fortuitous for his people. By taking this first step, perhaps he could help his fellow Vulcans understand their volatile, irrational charges.

…

"May I join you?"

Emmie looked up from her drink and straightened when she saw the commodore standing before her, holding a beer in his hand.

"Go right ahead, sir," she said with a soft smile and a nod, gesturing to the seat across from her. Forrest sat in the chair and set his beer on the table with a soft clunk, and he set his bright blue gaze on her.

"It's good to see you here," he said, tapping the side of his beer with his forefinger. "I have good news."

Emmie leaned forward. "Of what sort?"

The commodore smiled. "Your new job as a representative of the human race."

Her eyes widened and she raised an eyebrow. "Now when you put it like that..."

Forrest shook his head. "L'Vek finally agreed to this program, but I'm not sure what changed his mind."

Emmie was quiet for a moment. "I met him today," she said softly, then took a sip of her drink. "Then I took him to a coffee shop. Have you ever been to the Artist's Hub down the way from Hayden Park?"

He nodded. "Is that the one with the papers on the walls?"

She murmured in affirmation. "I took him there, got him a green tea...he asked why we would post messages and drawings on the wall. I told him it was our desire to be remembered...I think I said something like 'trying to make permanent an impermanent life' or something to that effect."

Forrest raised an eyebrow, and his eyes glazed over as if in thought. "That's deep...I've never thought about it like that. I just thought it looked interesting."

"I haven't really thought about it either. And I didn't expect that question to come out of his mouth. But I enjoyed myself."

The commodore smiled. "Then I see I chose well when I asked you to take on this project." His expression became sober. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you the seriousness of what you're doing."

"No, sir, you don't. I understand."

The commodore nodded. "We have a week to brainstorm ideas and come up with a schedule to present to them. Apparently, they'd like this to follow a curriculum format, but I think spontaneity would be better, don't you think?"

She nodded. "I didn't sign on to do lesson plans, though that does sound interesting. But I get enough of that at my other job."

He furrowed his brow. "You teach?"

She nodded. "Dance class. Down on New 5th street."

He nodded and drained his beer. "Well, I think I'd better get home before Abigail starts to worry. I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Sadir...and congratulations on winning him over. It's about time we bridged the gap between our two peoples."

She smiled. "Right. See you tomorrow, commodore."

…

L'Vek was deep in thought, steadily working through his reports and paperwork, when his comm system started beeping. He stood to answer it and raised an eyebrow at the Vulcan on the screen. He raised the _ta'al_, and the caller did the same.

"Kuvak," L'Vek greeted, allowing a degree of warmth to creep into his voice. "It has been a long time, cousin."

The elder man nodded. "I did promise to continue our regular communiques, however, as of late, I have been occupied with work and other matters. How are you faring on Earth?"

L'Vek raised an eyebrow. "The humans are still constructing a warp-2 engine. They will be ready to test it in three months, but the Vulcan Advisory Council will of course advise caution and thorough testing before we let them go."

Kuvak's mouth twitched upward by a millimeter. "Of course. But how are _you _faring?"

L'Vek stared at the viewscreen, unsure of how to proceed, and Kuvak seemed to sense his uncertainty.

"You are my cousin, L'Vek, and I haven't forgotten our days together in school. Speak to me as my cousin, not as the head of the Vulcan Advisory Council."

He nodded. "I find the humans...baffling. Their emotions are erratic and unpredictable, though there are a few officers who have some sense of control over themselves. I'm considering returning to Vulcan at some point in the future."

Kuvak raised an eyebrow. "To take a wife?"

"So it would seem. My state is not unknown in our family circle, I take it?"

The minister shook his head. "Not unknown, but not discussed openly. I inquired last week as to your current status, and called to see how you are faring among such erratic emotions."

L'Vek nodded. "I am well, though my workload will soon increase."

Kuvak leaned toward the screen. "What has caused this? Are you not already sufficiently busy?"

The adviser paused. "There is a human here named Commodore Forrest, and he proposed a cultural exchange for myself and members of my staff, to be taught by a civilian working at Starfleet Command."

"That sounds fascinating," the minister said sincerely. "Who is the human to be teaching you?"

"Her name is Emmie Sadir."

Kuvak's expression turned sober, and he quickly turned away to another console and typed something in. He stared in confusion at the other screen.

"There's only one 'Sadir' listed, and her given name is not 'Emmie'."

L'Vek frowned. "I will check with the commodore concerning this woman's absence from the databanks. Perhaps they do not list civilian workers, or perhaps they are listed elsewhere."

Kuvak nodded. "Quite inefficient, these humans...contact me when this problem is resolved. I'd like to know more about the woman who will be spending time with my cousin."

L'Vek agreed and their communique ended soon thereafter, and the Vulcan leaned back in his chair, uncertain as to why Emmie was not listed in the database.

He didn't even bother to chide himself for calling her by her first name, as his interest had been peaked by this little mystery. He checked the database himself and saw only one 'Sadir', just as Kuvak had said. He selected this Sadir's name, and his frown dissolved into an expression of comprehension.

She was listed as 'Meskhenet Mehvesh Sadir', but the image was definitely of her. _Meskhenet_...he pondered the name in his mind, and he found he preferred her rightful name to Emmie. The woman he had caught and held in his arms, that was Meskhenet, a woman, not a child.

He opened his eyes and quickly returned to his work, suppressing the small twinge of worry in his gut that he was spending far too much time thinking about this human. He had to discipline his thoughts and watch his actions, lest the woman became a real danger to him.

_(A/N: I know it's strange to put in so much over someone's name, but the idea that she sort of has two names will became important later on. Just bear with me.)_

…

The commodore had given L'Vek a tour of the Media and Communications department the previous day, citing that since he would be spending a significant amount of time with Ms. Sadir, it would be helpful to know where her office was. L'Vek was headed back to his own office and decided to take a shortcut through Media, and he stopped in his tracks as he approached the doorway to the office break room; he heard a familiar voice.

"I'm only going to say this once, Mr. Carter. Leave me alone and stop asking me out. I'm not interested, and to be honest, you make me feel uncomfortable. So stop bothering me about this. I don't feel that way about you."

"Oh, what, am I not good enough for you?"

He heard Emmie sigh in exasperation. "I don't owe you anything else. I've made my intentions clear, and if you don't want me to take this up with HR, then I suggest you drop this, here and now."

"Fine...you wanna play hard to get? Two can play at this game, Emmie."

Her tone of voice became akin to a growl, and L'Vek raised an eyebrow as he slowly crept closer. "First off, Mr. Carter, don't call me that, and two, I'm saying no. Now leave me alone."

"Come on, Emmie, all I'm asking is a drink with you. Live a little, and let me show you a good time."

An odd sensation was becoming more pronounced in L'Vek's chest, and his body was stiff, ready to fight. It was logical to help Ms. Sadir since this male obviously didn't know the meaning of the word 'no', and it would be best to stop his harassment. Deep down, a foreign desire to claw this man's eyes out whispered to the Vulcan out of the darkness of his primal self, but he ignored the suggestion and responded logically to the problem.

He came closer and found Emmie practically bristling at the man named Mr. Carter. The male was blocking the exit and had his hands pressed to the doorframe, keeping her in the room.

"Excuse me," L'Vek said firmly to the man. "But I believe she told you no."

The man turned and sneered at him, and L'Vek narrowed his eyes at the incredibly unattractive male. The man's hair was black and greasy, arranged poorly over his balding head, and Carter's eyes were deep brown and wide, almost giving the impression that his eyes lacked irises. L'Vek could see why Emmie found the male unpleasant, and he raised his chin in defiance. _Not much of a rival..._

"And who are you, Mr. _Vulcan_, to dictate what I do?"

"She told you no," L'Vek repeated. "I suggest you leave, or I will take the appropriate actions against you. I should warn you that I have three times your strength and am trained in unarmed combat."

Carter seemed to finally comprehend the gravity of the situation, and he took his hands off the doorframe and made to move past L'Vek. But he stopped short of passing him and looked up at the Vulcan with a disturbing smile.

"Gloat much, Mr. Vulcan? Are you sure you're not becoming emotional like us?"

"Get out."

The command came from Emmie, and L'Vek turned and almost took a step back from her. Her eyes were blazing with anger and something akin to hatred, but her expression was calm, deadly, cold. He did not want that expression directed at him, and he was glad he was not on the receiving end of her wrath. L'Vek turned to Carter.

"I suggest you leave. And leave Ms. Sadir alone."

Carter glared at Emmie, then stormed out, and after several seconds of silence, L'Vek heard something fall over nearby. Emmie had her eyes closed when he turned back to her, and the Vulcan frowned.

"Ms. Sadir?"

"I apologize," she whispered, opening her eyes, piercing him with her gray irises. "On behalf of my species, I apologize. We usually don't behave like that."

L'Vek shook his head at her. "His behavior is none of your concern."

She offered him a wan smile. "Thank you for your help, but I think I could have handled him on my own."

The Vulcan shook his head again. "He does not respect you, and that is intolerable."

Her eyes were suddenly flooded with warmth and (he thought he was imagining things) the tiniest hint of affection, and she smiled at him. It was a smile tinged with sadness, but the very sight of it on her face suddenly made him feel lighter, and the tension that had stiffened him in Carter's presence melted away. Her smile grew more profound, and she muttered something under her breath in her native tongue. His sensitive ears picked it up, but he couldn't understand it. He filed it away for translation at a later date.

"I hope you have a pleasant day, Mr. Adviser," she said, and he stepped aside so she could exit the room. She smiled up at him as she passed, then strode confidently down the corridor. He watched her go, then turned and continued on his way.

Later when he was alone in his quarters, he accessed the translator and spoke Emmie's phrase into the microphone. Five translations came up, and he quickly dismissed the first two because they did not make sense. The third read '_If we work as one, we create beautiful things_'. He pondered the phrase, then dismissed it as well.

The next two, however, were not so easy to dismiss. The first read '_If you and I work together, we make things beautiful'_. The sentiment struck him as whimsical, but it seemed truthful in its own way. The last translation made more sense: '_if you and I work together, we can make something beautiful_'.

It was late before L'Vek rose from his meditative state, and although he had tried to dismiss her words as whimsical and childish, all sentiments aside, the truth in her statement moved him down to his very core. His sleep that night was fitful; he rarely dreamed, but that night he spent his sleeping hours pursuing Mr. Carter across a burning plain of fire, his _lurpa _successfully putting out the man's black eyes.

He awoke, deeply perturbed at the nature of his dream, but more disturbed at how utterly satisfying it had been to see Carter blinded and weak. The rest of the night was spent in deep meditation, Emmie's words echoing in his head despite his every effort. He could only sigh.

…

"That little bitch had the gall to tell you that?" Brad placed his hand on her waist and took her other hand in his, then led her across the floor, their feet moving seamlessly around each other.

"Yes, but you won't believe who walked in the door and told the creep off."

Brad frowned, but Emmie wrapped her leg high around his waist as she waited for him to figure it out. Her dance partner's face lit up in comprehension.

"Not your Vulcan?"

She nodded, and their legs slid over the floor as one, bending them both down.

"What did he say to Mr. Creep?"

"He told him that he should shove off or he'd 'take the appropriate actions'. And he said he has three times Creep's strength and is trained in unarmed combat."

Brad whistled. "Wow...he's like a Vulcan knight in shining armor, huh?"

Emmie laughed. "It's looking that way...you should have seen the look in his eyes when Carter tried to act all tough. L'Vek looked about ready to hurt him."

Her companion raised an eyebrow. "You're sure this guy isn't harboring feelings for you?"

She snorted. "Feelings? I highly doubt it. He was just being polite, and that seems like something he's good at."

Brad frowned. "Meaning?"

He dipped her low, and she rolled her body back up so she stood straight again. "He started off really chilly towards me, especially on that morning I took him for coffee. But he's polite to me now."

Her companion spun her away, then gently tugged her back. "If I saw someone hitting on Armando and my man said no, I'd be pissed as hell. I'd want to take that SOB out."

Emmie looked pensive as they continued their complex dance across the floor. "I don't know...I'm definitely attracted to him, but I just can't see how he could return my feelings. I'm human, and he's Vulcan for goodness sakes. Poker faces, no smiles...I wonder how they make babies."

Brad chuckled. "When a guy Vulcan loves a girl Vulcan very much..."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Well, it looks like Heartbreak Hotel for me. And I volunteered to be their cultural attache, which means I'll be seeing lots of L'Vek over the next few months."

"Then take the opportunity to get to know him and learn his quirks. And report everything to me so I can give you guy advice."

Emmie grinned wickedly at him. "Everything? I don't think so, honey, I may want to keep some things to myself."

The music rose a crescendo, and Brad dipped his dance partner low as the song came to a pounding conclusion. He held her there for a second, then pulled her upright.

"Don't give up hope, Emmie. You're a beautiful woman, and I doubt even a cold-hearted Vulcan could resist you for long."

She shook her head. "We'll see, won't we?"

_**Ok, lovely reviewers, I need your help. What things do you want L'Vek and Emmie to do together? I've got the major holidays covered, and someone suggested they go to Egypt, but what do you guys want to see?**_


	4. Into the Desert

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thanks so much to dinopoodle, Fameanon (aka L'Vek), tahmtahm, and 09sasha for reviewing! Your suggestions are very much appreciated and have been noted, and I'll try to fit in as many as I can.**_

"Soval tells me that Vulcans never touch. It's taboo for them apparently, or something, so I'm not sure if teaching him dance would be a good idea."

Emmie smiled wryly. "Commodore, there's no harm in _showing _him classical dance. I'd keep it to classic ballroom dancing like I teach at the studio, and he wouldn't have to participate, just watch."

Forrest raised an eyebrow. "Well, that certainly sounds reasonable. Though I'm curious...why did you request to take L'Vek and his staff to Giza, Egypt?"

"I wanted them to see the desert. Many of them haven't left San Francisco in all their time here, and I thought it'd be nice to show them an ecosystem on Earth that's close to what they're used to. A piece of home, if you will. And besides, Giza is steeped in history, and is home to one of the oldest monuments that humans have created. I would love to impart that history to the adviser and his staff."

"That sounds quite intriguing, Ms. Sadir."

The commodore and the woman turned to the door as L'Vek strode in and took a seat. "These monuments you speak of...I believe you said they are pyramids, are they not?"

Emmie smiled gently at him. "Yes, they're thousands of years old."

"Mr. Adviser," the commodore interjected. "The United Arab States are perfectly willing to provide you with a tour of any city in that area, if you're interested in going."

The Vulcan quirked an eyebrow. "Your pyramids sound fascinating, commodore. I am willing to talk to my superiors and my staff and gather a group to visit Giza."

"I think if you're interested in Giza, then I should definitely show you the Native American pueblo villages southwest of here. Also Chichen Itza in Mexico is somewhat like Giza from an architectural standpoint, but on a smaller scale. If it's history you're interested in, we've got lots of it."

L'Vek glanced down at the PADD the commodore handed him. "All of those sites sound interesting, but we should develop a reasonable timetable, as you and I and my staff are all busy."

Emmie was pensive for a moment. "Would once-a-month field trips be reasonable? This month I take you to Giza, perhaps next month the pueblo villages and, if we have time, the Grand Canyon, the month after that Chichen Itza...is that acceptable?"

The Vulcan stared at her. "That does not sound unreasonable. I will have to clear this with my superiors, but I believe that will be satisfactory."

She smiled to herself at her victory, and the commodore seemed happy as well. "Well, Ms. Sadir, I'll leave you to make the proper arrangements, and Mr. Adviser, please look over that list of possible outings to do in the meantime."

Forrest stood and left them alone, but Emmie stayed in her seat. L'Vek raised his eyebrows at the list as he glanced over it.

"I have a personal query, Ms. Sadir," he said after a few beats of silence. "You are listed in the database as 'Meskhenet Mehvesh Sadir', yet everyone calls you Emmie. May I ask why?" He raised his eyes and met her gaze. She smiled.

"You most certainly may. Meskhenet is a mouthful for many people on this side of the planet, so when I moved here at seventeen, I went by Emmie, to make addressing me a little easier."

He frowned. "From my research, I know that your nicknames are often shortened forms of your rightful names. But I do not understand how Emmie is a shortened form of Meskhenet. Is it akin to Bob and William?"

She laughed. "A perceptive observation, but not quite correct. Meskhenet starts with an M, thus the first part of my nickname. Emmie."

His eyes flared with comprehension. "And the ending is often used to denote fondness for one's children, like Jennie for Jennifer?"

Her grin widened. "You've put a lot of research into this."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Of course. It is an intriguing subject...and your rightful name fits you. Does it mean something to your parents? Where did it come from?"

She rested her chin on her hands. "It came from a story my grandmother told my mother when she was little. It's supposedly about an ancestor of hers, but my mother suspects she's making that part up. But it is an interesting story."

L'Vek nodded. "May I hear this story?"

"The details escape me, so let me get back to you on that, all right?"

The Vulcan bowed his head in acknowledgment and stood to leave. "I look forward to seeing you again this week, Ms. Sadir. Good day."

She smiled at him, and she thought (surely she was imagining this) that his eyes sparkled with pleasure as he looked down at her. But he turned and left her alone, and she sighed and returned to her office.

…

She wasn't expecting to see him again that day, but he brought her tea, a Vulcan blend that she found was rather nice. They talked about Giza and its history, and after an hour in her office, he left again and did not come back until two days later. He was bearing more tea, this time the variety she had made for him, and they talked more about Egypt.

Two more weeks passed, and several more times he came to her office bearing tea, ready to discuss human idioms and quirks. On one such occasion, he came late in the afternoon, only an hour before she usually left, but she smiled and welcomed him into her office anyway. Their discussion that day lasted for over three hours, and she was surprised that she had actually enjoyed herself immensely and was disappointed when their talk ended. He seemed eager to see Egypt and the other sites she had mentioned, and the enthusiasm he demonstrated made a warm spring of affection bubble in her chest.

So began a tentative professional relationship, collegiate, intellectual, but nothing more. Yet. For the moment, she was satisfied that he found her company agreeable enough to have three-hour conversations with her.

The day before they were due to go to Giza, he told her a little about Vulcan, including an overview of some of their customs. He taught her how to raise the _ta'al_, their traditional greeting, and showed her images of some monuments on Vulcan that he said she might find interesting.

She examined the images after he left, fascinated at the alien lines and shapes in their architecture. She was particularly interested in a clan home that was apparently built upside-down off a cliff. She wondered at the engineering behind it all, at the stories behind these structures, and she made a mental note to ask him about that tomorrow when she saw him again.

…

L'Vek strode confidently into his quarters and calmly checked his messages, but the warmth that had followed him since leaving Emmie in her office dispersed, as if a cold wind had blown through the room. His clan mother had sent him another list of women to choose from, and he sighed and sat down to review them. Each one had admirable qualities, but just like the last list, none of the woman appealed to them. He sent his reply to his clan mother and sighed again. This was tiresome, and he longed for his Time to be over so he could work without worrying. Deep in his soul, he knew his essence was crying out for a mate, but his work was more important than finding a cure for his loneliness. Strange, he had felt less lonely these past few weeks...

He shook his head and dispelled the thought, turning his attention to Emmie's itinerary for tomorrow so he could be familiar with it.

…

In the end, only two other Vulcans joined them on their trip to Giza, an elderly couple, anthropologists who had resided in the Consulate since Solkar's time as ambassador. Other than the couple, there were three security guards, sent along at the insistence of Ambassador Soval. L'Vek's staff was busy preparing for another round of meetings with Earth engineers regarding their NX program, and none were unoccupied enough to make the journey.

The morning air was cool when he stepped out of the shuttle and stood by Emmie, but even that was drier and warmer than most days in San Francisco. The first of the sun's rays were peeking over the horizon, but the disc itself had not risen. His companion grinned at him as she spun around in a circle, apparently taking in the dry desert air.

"Isn't it glorious, Mr. Adviser?" she said as she took a deep breath. He watched her in growing amusement, and it was not lost on him how pleasing she looked standing there in the morning light. A ripple of pleasure swept over him for a brief moment, and he turned toward the open desert so he could re-focus his thoughts. _Glorious indeed_...The desert before his eyes was vast, nothing but a sea of sand and dunes, and the sky was getting lighter as the sun rose behind him.

"Mr. Adviser." Her voice came from near his shoulder, and he turned to her. She smiled and gestured to the east, where the sun had finally come over the distant horizon. He watched it rise, appreciating the variety of colors in the atmosphere as the sun climbed higher, and soon the disc was fully in the sky.

His sensitive ears caught a male voice singing in the distance, somewhere in the settlement to the southeast, and Emmie turned as well. She stared toward the settlement, then twisted around to the northeast and bowed her head briefly. L'Vek raised an eyebrow and watched her walk away; the guards had let down the shuttle behind a sand dune, and it blocked their view of the ancient monuments. Emmie walked around the dune into the open, then stopped. She hailed someone in Arabic, and he heard a woman answer back in the same tongue.

Around the dune walked a middle-aged woman who looked like she was descended from the same people as Emmie, and his companion said something more to their tour guide. The older woman frowned at her, but Emmie showed her how to raise the _ta'al_, and L'Vek raised his eyebrows higher. Unfortunately, the woman seemed to struggle with the hand gesture, so she held her palms together and bowed at the waist.

"Welcome to Giza, my friends. I am Rahiq, and I'll be your tour guide today. Meskhenet told me you have never been to a desert on our world."

L'Vek shook his head. "No, this is my first visit to one of your deserts, though T'Pres and Skel have been to several." The elderly couple raised the _ta'al _in greeting.

"Then come, Mr. Adviser, there is much to show you."

He followed Emmie and Rahiq around the dune and stopped for a moment to admire the view. Three pyramids towered over the landscape, the second and third structures to the left smaller than the one on the far right. Emmie gave him a furtive glance, her gray eyes shielded by a fan of dark lashes.

"Behold," said Rahiq in a cheerful voice, "the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khufu. And to the left are the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, respectively. The largest pyramid is over 4,000 years old, and is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the last one mostly standing. It came close to being destroyed in World War III when Pan-Asian forces attacked Cairo, but it survived the attack nearly unscathed. Only a tiny corner of the structure was lost."

They headed towards the pyramids, and L'Vek was fascinated by the ancient architecture. Their tour was long, but proved quite educational, and every time he stole a glance toward Emmie, she looked content. The sight of her like that made him feel strangely content as well...

He shook his head at the thought and turned his attention back to the tour guide, who was explaining Egyptian burial practices in the time of the pharaohs. It was nearly noon by this time, and the sun beat down on them, thinning the shadows and sending waves of delicious heat to his bones. Emmie was right: Egypt was proving quite beneficial to his health and well-being, and he did not regret coming here today.

They completed their tour, but T'Pres and Skel expressed an interest in taking some readings and writing more notes on their findings. L'Vek left one of the guards with them and took the other with himself and Emmie, as his companion wanted to show him the town. They thanked their tour guide, and the elderly couple agreed to meet them at the shuttle in two hours.

"It's rather fortuitous that we came here on this day of all days," Emmie said as they entered the town from the south. "You'll see why in a minute. I get my first chance to show you culture, and not just art and history. Come!" Her command was eager, and something stirred in his abdomen at the sight of her eyes sparkling with joy. As the heat of the day had increased, her temperament had grown warmer with it, and for the first time, he caught a glimpse of a vitality, an undeniable joy for life that seemed to pulsate through her being.

He saw her meaning after walking another two blocks; the crowd had increased dramatically, and he could hear music. They were nearing a square, perhaps a marketplace, and everyone around them seemed to be in the same cheerful mood as Emmie. Finally, the buildings on either side of them fell away, and they walked into a spacious square. There was music and shouting and singing and dancing all around him, as well as several merchants selling all sorts of wares. The noise and the smells and the cacophony of colors and textures around him overwhelmed him for a moment, and he found himself wishing he were back in the desert, away from the din. But then he heard Emmie laughing beside him, and he turned to her, amazed. He wasn't astonished at her laughter (though it did confuse him; he looked around and saw nothing particularly amusing), rather, he was astonished that it did not bother him. Hearing her laugh was...agreeable...

His jaw stiffened, and he quickly turned away from her to try to process this overload to his senses. Over all the shouting and singing, at least three or four musicians in the immediate vicinity were vying for attention, and he was relieved when everything stopped for a moment and everyone directed their attention to the other end of the square. On a raised stage was an elderly man and a speaker system, and he greeted the people in Arabic. L'Vek couldn't understand what was said, but the next thing the man said sent Emmie into a fit of girlish giggles, along with every other young woman in the crowd.

The middle of the square was being cleared, and a small band of musicians ascended the stage and called out in Arabic. Emmie laughed and turned to him.

"It's Pan-Arabic Day, in case you're wondering, and it's traditional in this town that single women dance at this celebration. Come on!"

She gestured him forward, and he followed with the security guard a discreet distance behind him. He moved to the edge of the crowd and stopped as Emmie ordered. She continued forward, joining the young women in the middle of the square, and they arranged themselves in a circle. One of the woman handed half of them a long white scarf, and he noticed that Emmie didn't have one. The music began to play, and the women began to dance. Time seemed to slow.

His mouth went slightly dry as Emmie began swaying her hips in time to the music, and as the music picked up, she spun wildly with the girl next to her, taking hold of the other girl's scarf and turning with her partner. She glanced over at him and winked, and he couldn't tear his eyes away as she swung her hips in a circle, then thrust her hip to one side. She spun again, twirling as she wrapped the scarf around her hand. The movement of her lower torso had him spellbound, and his mouth went even drier as the tempo increased. She was spinning and whirling, laughing for pure joy it seemed, all the time keeping his attention with the irresistible swaying of her body...he had never seen a woman flaunt her hips in that manner...

He blinked rapidly in confusion as the music came to a stop, and all the women laughed and gave up their scarves. Emmie returned to him, and he snapped his jaw shut. She smiled up at him, and that strange feeling in his abdomen returned for a moment.

"What did you think?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What was the purpose of the dance?"

Her smile widened. "I believe to attract a husband, though I'm not sure. To celebrate today, in any case."

He nodded slowly. "Tell me more about this celebration." They headed back the way they came, leaving the celebration behind them. L'Vek was concerned about meeting their deadline, and furthermore, any other chances for Emmie to dance like that were out of the question.

"This region has been deeply divided by cultural and religious differences for a thousand years. It was only 42 years ago that we decided to put our quarrels aside and celebrate not only our differences, our diversity, but everything we have in common. We dance together as united Arabs, not as Sunnis or Israelites or Sudanese, but as Arabs, one people."

L'Vek nodded. "That is...admirable."

They walked in silence for the rest of the way, as L'Vek was not in the mood to talk. Her dancing form was still in his mind, and as he walked behind her, he could not stop his eyes from drifting downward to observe the gentle sway of her hips and the supple curves of her waist...

His jaw stiffened again and he focused his thoughts on a mantra he had been taught when he was younger, and he was silent all the way back to San Francisco.

…

_He was pursuing a woman through a crowd of people, and she continuously kept ahead of him, dancing and laughing as music filled the air. Slowly, the people fell away, and she led him to the desert, every once and a while turning back to him and beckoning with her finger. He increased his pace, his pursuit of her growing sensual, an erotic game of cat and mouse..._

_She led him further still, winding her way up a mountain path, still dancing and laughing and urging him onward. He could not see her face clearly, but he knew she wanted this pursuit, wanted him to catch her..._

_They came to a cave, and her laughter echoed off the walls. The music died when he was swallowed by the darkness, but he could hear her giggles further ahead. He began to run, navigating his way expertly around rocks and through the tunnels, following her, gaining on her. She was so close now..._

_Finally, he caught up with her. She was leaning against the opposite wall, still giggling, and she beckoned him forward again. He obeyed her wish and was on her in an instant, and she moaned into his mouth as he claimed her warm, sweet lips. Suddenly the cave was filled the light of candles, and he looked into her gray eyes and-_

L'Vek awoke with a gasp, his breathing ragged, his body aroused. He had not felt like this since his last Time, and it was strange to have his blood heated in this way. He closed his eyes again, finding control after breathing in and out, and he slipped out of bed and sat on the floor, hastily lighting candles so he could meditate. The sight of the flame briefly brought back the last image he saw in his dream, but he firmly banished her face from his mind and concentrated on finding inner peace and control.

The night was long.

_A/N: It is the authoress' sincerest wish that Pan-Arabic Day become a reality in the near future._


	5. The Further They Fall

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thanks so much to Fameanon (and L'Vek), dinopoodle, bina W, Dr Wolfy, tahmtahm and snapeissexy for your support! You're all awesome!**_

"They have temples and tombs that are over 4,000 years old, Kuvak," L'Vek said, his eyes misting over as he saw the images in his minds' eye. "And the weather there was very agreeable. Not as warm as home, but warm enough, and dry."

Kuvak's eyes twinkled. "I am pleased you found your journey acceptable. Now, regarding this woman you went with...did you discover the reason behind her absence in the databanks?"

"She is listed in the databanks. Her given name is Meskhenet, but she goes by Emmie here, to make things easier for her colleagues."

The minister frowned slightly and turned away to another console, and after a few moments his expression changed to one of mild interest, and he raised his eyebrow at L'Vek.

"She's attractive for a human," he remarked quietly. "But in other news, I mentioned this program offhand to V'Las, and he commends your efforts, and offers his condolences."

L'Vek frowned. "For what is he offering them?"

Kuvak shook his head. "You know as well as I that V'Las...forgive me, I should not speak ill of a colleague, much less one in his position...but it is good to see that you are doing well. I will do my best to contact you often, when I can."

L'Vek nodded and raised the _ta'al_, and their transmission was terminated.

…

"You did _what_?"

Brad was incredulous as they danced a waltz around the room, and Emmie grinned wickedly.

"I said I belly-danced at the festival."

"And L'Vek was watching?!"

She nodded and giggled. "Maybe he was stunned at my lack of propriety, but every time I looked at him, he was watching me."

Brad shook his head and bit his lip. "I'm proud of you, Emmie," he said finally. "Doing us humans proud, being forward with a Vulcan. If I had to guess, I'd say he was absorbed in your enchanting movements...and probably wanted to do a little something-something with those hips!" He winked, and Emmie slapped him on the arm.

"He was definitely appalled at my lack of propriety, Brad."

"He's probably thinking about you right now."

She shook her head. "Probably wondering why he agreed to this thing in the first place."

Brad stopped her and pulled away. "You feel guilty about this, don't you? You feel embarrassed for what you did?"

She sighed. "I don't know what the hell I was thinking. He'll probably never look at me again...probably thinks I'm a slut."

"Hey!" Brad said sharply, grabbing her arm. "Don't you talk that way about Emmie Sadir."

She shook her head and looked down at the floor. "Well, I can't exactly back out now, after all the plans we've made. Just gotta keep pushing through."

"'Atta girl," Brad said with a smile. "I bet he's either desperate to see you again, or else won't think anything of it."

…

The feel of bread between his forefinger and thumb was foreign: the surface of the pita was lightly dusted with flour, and he unconsciously rubbed it, delighting in the strange graininess prickling his fingertips. The white bread was loaded with the smooth, yellow-golden chickpea paste, and tiny streams of olive oil dripped down towards his fingers.

Without another thought, he put it in his mouth.

The bread was soft and smooth, and still warm, and the hummus slid down his throat, the olive oil coating the back of his mouth with slickness. The chickpeas had a mild yet buttery flavor, and he swallowed his food, then briefly closed his eyes. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted, and he wanted more.

He opened his eyes to see Emmie grinning at him, and she held aloft the rest of the pita bread, encouraging him to tear off another piece and eat more of the hummus. He did so with a slight nod, and her grin widened.

"I take it you like it?" she murmured. He was chewing, so he nodded and reached for more. She handed him the rest of the pita bread and watched him eat with a satisfied look on her face. Her gray eyes had darkened, her pupils dilated, and he made a mental note to look up that reaction when he was alone. Though judging by her breathing pattern, perhaps it was...

He decided not to let his thoughts stray in that direction.

It was only after he had swallowed his last bite that he realized what he had done. He had accepted food from a female, food that she had made. He had eaten all of it, enough for a small meal, and he had eaten it with his fingers, something Surak forbid unless one did not have utensils available (and he knew this office had utensils somewhere).

And he had done it all without thinking.

_It is cultural acceptable here to eat certain foods with one's hands, _he rationalized, _especially if those foods are to be dipped in something else._

The stringent, logical side of him did not accept this rationalization and chided him for indulging in this behavior. Not only was he eating food offered by a female who was not his mate, he had cast aside Surak's precepts without a second thought. Some cultural protocols passed down to his people were to be followed no matter the situation, and he had been too lenient concerning those protocols today.

But he saw the pleasure gleaming in her gray eyes, and he could not bring himself to care.

…

L'Vek was starting to worry.

A thousand different aromas hit his nose as he walked in the door to the Arabic restaurant with Emmie at his side, and he took a few moments to breathe in the exotic scents, spices and woodsmoke and candlewax, and some other scents he couldn't identify that made the room smell...old but well-kept. It was an intimate place, where patrons sat on the floor, and a few dozen conversations drifted across candlelit tables and wafted to him on the perfumed air circulating about the room. The only slightly familiar scent he identified was the incense burning in the corner, filling the establishment with a subtle haze.

They were quickly shown to a table in the back, and within minutes they were given an appetizer. L'Vek did not allow himself to feel any qualms about eating the pita and hummus with his fingers, and he was rewarded with Emmie's delighted smile.

He had always prided himself on his discipline, even in the months leading up to his Time, but he found himself slipping several times over the course of the evening. The flashes of pleasure (_no, satisfaction, _his logical half chided) that he felt when Emmie smiled at him could not be quashed soon enough. She smiled often at him, and he almost believed (or wanted to believe) that tiny sparks of affection were gleaming in her eyes along with her happiness. She enjoyed his company, and he enjoyed (_was content with_, he corrected) hers.

But perhaps his most noticeable failure that night was that his internal chronometer slipped dramatically during the meal. They ate, and he listened to her stories about Chichen Itza, answered her questions about Vulcan architecture, and even dared reveal a tiny amount of information about the age before Surak. She was completely engaged in his stories, her gray eyes shining in the flickering candlelight, and he missed a few seconds, then a minute, then an hour.

He did not even catch his error until he awoke from his daze to find that most of the tables were empty now, and the only patrons left were lingering over their drinks. Emmie seemed surprised too, staring around in bewilderment and amusement.

"Time flies when you're having fun, hm, Mr. Adviser?"

He raised an eyebrow. "A well-disciplined mind is always aware of the time, however...I did not realize this much time had passed."

She frowned at his statement and they left quickly, and he directed his footsteps toward the Vulcan Consulate, and she kept stride with him.

They were silent for most of their walk, until he finally chose to speak.

"Your ethnic cuisine is most unusual, however...I did enjoy the meal, and I am...gratified that you arranged this."

She smiled, and he cursed himself as his fingers began to itch. "It was my pleasure, L'Vek...sorry, Mr. Adviser. Sorry, it's late, and I'm tired..."

He shook his head at her and adopted a neutral expression. "There is no offense where none is taken. And in any case...L'Vek _is _my name."

Her look was pointed. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

L'Vek caught her meaning and shook his head. "Merely stating a fact."

They were silent for another block, and then she spoke.

"Are you finding this exchange informative, Mr. Adviser? Am I teaching you what you want to know?"

He breathed in a deep breath. "The more time I spend with you, Ms. Sadir, the more I am fascinated by your culture," he admitted honestly. _And the more I am ashamed that I did not see this in the first place._

The second statement he left unsaid even as it crawled from the deepest part of him. He knew it was truth, that the Vulcans had shrouded themselves in mystery and refused to really learn about and appreciate other cultures, but as an agent of the High Command, he could never admit that aloud.

She stopped and turned to him, that wonderful pleasure gleaming in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but seemingly could find no words. Her hands twitched forward as if to touch him, but she clasped them firmly behind her back.

"That's very kind of you to say. But we've hardly begun, Mr. Adviser, and thus far I've only exposed you to a tiny portion of the world. There's so much more for you to see."

He raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

She paused, and he watched her gather her thoughts. "Oh...music and art, and dance. I want to show you ballroom dancing."

He frowned. "You have a particular fondness for this type of dance?"

"I teach it."

"Ah," he murmured in comprehension. "Well, as your phrase goes...dealer's choice."

She grinned at him, pure delight shining in her eyes, and his fingertips were burning now...he quickly turned and continued down their path. He had almost felt a twinge of emotion overtake him for a moment, the feeling roiling in his gut, seething in his veins, but he pushed it away before it could go any further. Strange, his thoughts concerning her had been borderline..._primitive_.

It seemed he had every right to be worried.

They reached the gates of the Consulate, and he turned to bid her goodnight. The moon was full tonight, bathing the dark world below it in soft, silver light. It gleamed on her hair, and he couldn't help but wonder what she might look like in the light of T'Khut. Then he remembered that he wasn't supposed to be contemplating any sort of relationship with this woman, that he had promised himself he would marry a Vulcan bride...he wondered what her hair would feel like beneath his fingertips...

She breathed in and smiled up at him. "Well, I had a good time. Thanks for coming, Mr. Adviser."

He nodded, and he noticed a strand of hair had come loose from her bun, and before he could stop himself, he reached out and tucked it behind her ear.

The night was chill, and her ears were chill with it as her head was uncovered, but the soft yet firm roundness of her ear fascinated him. And her hair was warm and soft, and he could see it in his mind's eye, waving down her back, splayed out behind her like a fan, twisted between his fingers as he drew her close...

He abruptly turned off that train of thought and quickly withdrew his hand, but her eyes had darkened again, and she looked reluctant to leave.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" she said after an awkward pause.

"Yes, tomorrow," he murmured. "Good night, Ms. Sadir."

"Good night, Mr. Adviser."

She walked away and disappeared around the corner, but he stood there in the cold night air, wondering why he felt so empty, why the night seemed chillier and darker. The moonlight no longer held any beauty for him; it looked cold and dim. The wind whispering in his ear was no longer musical, but harsh, an irritant to be ignored. He sighed and went inside.

When he retreated to his rooms, his irritation increased. His clan mother had sent him a third list of candidates for his impending marriage, and in a fit of illogic, he deleted the message without even opening it. He knew he did not want any of those women.

His meditation was fitful, and finally he gave up and went to bed with a restless mind, only to be plagued with dreams where he was roaming the streets of San Francisco, but could not find what he was looking for.

…

Emmie walked away from the Consulate and continued back to her apartment, confused as ever over L'Vek. He didn't seem to be appalled at her behavior at Giza, but he was sending her mixed signals, and she wasn't sure how to interpret them. Just now, when his hand brushed her ear as he tucked her hair away, she had felt an electric shock of desire from deep inside her, and the sensation had raced down her spine. She had hardly been able to suppress a gasp. His skin was so warm, even in the chilly night air, and his fingertips, she could almost swear, were charged with electricity.

She was attracted to him, she admitted to herself, but Vulcans were so mysterious, aloof, untouchable. And here she was attracted to one who probably didn't return her feelings...

But Commodore Forrest said Vulcans almost never touch anyone, not each other, and especially not humans. And he had touched her...

_It felt good._

She banished the thought from her head and walked on, ready to get out of this cold weather. Her apartment was still several blocks away, and she had the nagging feeling that she should get inside as soon as possible.

Seven blocks away, the feeling became more pronounced, and Emmie realized it felt like someone was following her. She turned around and scanned the street, but saw no one. The other side of the street was also empty, and a sense of dread swept over her before she took a deep breath and carried on. She was just being paranoid...

Four blocks away and she was sure someone was following her. She could hear their footsteps behind her: they walked with her and stopped with her, but every time she turned around, the street was empty. She quickened her pace.

A block away from her house, she could feel their presence behind her, and she couldn't bear the feeling anymore. She wheeled around, determined to face the person following her.

Her face contorted from worry to fury. "You!"

Carter grinned at her, and it looked disturbing. "Hey baby," he purred, sidling up to her. "How's it going?"

She stepped back from him. "I have nothing to say to you."

Emmie turned and made to continue walking, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "I'm not done talking to you, baby," he growled, and she tried to tear her arm from his grip.

"Let go of me," she snarled.

"Not until we talk."

"I've already told you we have nothing to talk about. Now let go, or I'm going to scream."

"Who's going to hear you?" he whispered, leaning close. She could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"You've been drinking!"

He laughed, and she wrinkled her nose. "So what if I have? Come on, you little slut, what do you see in that rusty old Vulcan?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I see a man one hundred times more dignified than you'll ever be."

He smacked her across the face with his free hand, and she gasped as tears sprung in her eyes.

"Now you've done it," he hissed. "You've gone and gotten me angry. But before I go, why don't you give it up to me?"

She yanked her arm out of his grip. "Bastard!"

"Give me what you've been giving every other man you can find, baby," he cooed, stumbling toward her. She kneed him in the groin and ran for it, and once she reached her door, she looked back, but couldn't see him. She opened the door, then slammed it shut and bolted the lock as fast as her trembling fingers would allow.

She walked slowly to her couch and collapsed into a heap on it, finally letting the tears run down her cheeks. She thought about calling someone to stay the night with her, but Brad was out of town until next week, and besides, it was late, and the door was locked. The windows (by default) were triple-thick glass, and she couldn't see any other way Carter could get in here. But he probably knew where she lived by now, and she knew this wasn't over. HR could only do so much, and she wasn't sure what else to do. She would ignore Carter, and if things got too bad, she would call the authorities.

Needless to say, she couldn't find sleep that night.


	6. Rivals

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and L'Vek and Kuvak), dinopoodle, tahmtahm, maba7x, 09sasha, Nyotarules, T'Sara and for reviewing! So much support! What a wonderful group of reviewers.**_

L'Vek strode confidently down the corridor to Emmie's office, feeling a strange sense of eager anticipation at the prospect of drinking tea with her. He was bearing their usual shared beverage, and this apparently had become such a common sight to the department that no one so much as glanced his way.

But when he rang her doorchime and heard a shaky summons to come in, his contented expression faltered and he entered with caution. When he walked in, she looked up at him, her gray eyes wide, and like a tiny tendril of smoke, he could feel anxiety and fear drifting from her. Before she turned her head, he saw the ugly yellow bruise that marred the plane of her cheek, and he caught a glimpse of a bandage right beneath her jawbone.

"I fell," she said unconvincingly. "This morning...I was late to work and everything."

He set the tea down on her desk and walked around to her, and her wide gray eyes followed him; her anxiety and fear were nearly tangible. She bowed her head, but he gently lifted her chin and turned her face so he could examine her injuries more closely.

"Mr. Adviser, it's really nothing-"

With his fingers in direct contact with her skin, he was nearly overwhelmed by a wave of fear and shame. The sensations burned as they traveled through his veins, and he felt the beginnings of white-hot anger roiling in his gut.

With his fingers in direct contact with her skin, he was also nearly overwhelmed at the delightful coolness of her flesh, and as he saw tears glittering in her eyes, he slowly moved his hand so that his palm gently cupped her marred cheek. With his thumb, he brushed away the tear that trembled on her long black eyelashes and streaked down her face, and at his action, her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned into his touch.

As if he had been burned, he ripped his hand from her face, vehemently chiding himself on crossing the boundaries of propriety that he had to follow, especially at this time with the fever so close at hand. But even as he backed away and quietly begged for her forgiveness, the darkest part of him was reviewing the exciting taction of her creamy flesh pressed to his palm, replaying the sensation over and over again, urging him to touch her again.

"Who has injured you?" he ground out, his teeth clenching, his jaw stiff.

She frowned at him and looked away. "It's nothing, Mr. Adviser. I fell, that's all. You've seen me fall in heels before, so you know I'm clumsy."

"You are not clumsy, Ms. Sadir. Who is the worthless worm who struck you?"

This apparently caught her attention, and she looked at him with a pained expression. "Mr. Adviser, I really don't want to talk about this right now. Please, have a seat."

"I will not. Who struck you?"

Her eyes blazed with anger, and she stood up. "For the last time, I fell. Now please drop this subject and have a seat. I don't want to talk about it."

L'Vek narrowed his eyes. "We may not express our emotions, Ms. Sadir, but we are sensitive to them. You are anxious about something, or someone, that causes you fear. And you are ashamed of your injuries. These emotions do not line up with your assertion that you fell. I ask you again, who struck you? Was it Carter?" He spat the name out like it was a bitter pill on his tongue, and he nodded in satisfaction as her eyes filled with fear and pain. So it was Carter.

"If you would tell me where his office is, Ms. Sadir, I will take my leave of you."

She frowned. "Carter didn't come in today. Believe me, I checked." The second sentence was muttered under her breath, but his superior hearing caught her words.

"Has he been harassing you?"

"That is none of your business," she replied coldly. He narrowed his eyes again, utterly bemused at why she was refusing to talk to him. How did the men of this world indicate their desire for a woman?

Even as he thought it, he banished it. He was helping a coworker deal with harassment. This had nothing to do with desire, it was simply his...inclination to help her. This had nothing to do with desire, or his impending Time, or the fact that none of the women his clan mother sent to him stirred him in any way, and yet this little human sent fire racing through his blood...

_No!_ he berated himself. _She is my colleague, my coworker. I do NOT desire her!_

"I was simply concerned for your well-being," he shot back, his tone just as cold as hers. "Now you will tell me where Carter is, or I will take my leave of you and find him myself."

"This is _my _responsibility!" she protested, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not a child who needs help settling a dispute. I'm not some project or toy! Understand?"

He slowly approached her until she stepped back away from him. Then he stopped and looked directly into her gray eyes.

"I do not see a child standing before me, Meskhenet," he said softly. "I see a woman, fiercely independent, beautifully strong, who perhaps cannot see the dark road she may go down if she allows herself to be abused. I will not let that happen. You deserve more than that, T'Sai."

She frowned. "T'Sai?"

"In your tongue, that means 'lady'," he explained. _I have hid myself too well, it seems. She truly does not even know..._

The anger and hurt dissipated from her face, and was replaced by a look of surprise. She sat down as if she couldn't stand on her own two feet a minute longer, and he knelt before her, concerned.

"Meskhenet? Are you unwell?"

She closed her eyes and bowed her head. "What on Earth have I done?" she moaned, and for the second time since entering her office, he reached out and lifted her chin. But he saw anger flashing in her gray eyes, though perhaps not directed at him.

"Why can't I handle this?" she spat. "Everything else in my life goes all right, and then _he _comes..."

L'Vek stood quickly, towering over her. "I assure you, Meskhenet, he will not go unpunished."

With that, he strode from her office despite her protestations that what he was doing was ludicrous, and in the process of beating a path to the secretary's desk to get Carter's address, he nearly ran into Commodore Forrest.

"Whoa," the human officer said with a short laugh. "What's the big hurry, Mr. Adviser?"

"If you don't mind, commodore, I have business to attend to."

"Ok," Forrest said, raising his arms in a universal sign of non-aggression. "Just watch where you're going."

L'Vek nodded curtly and continued to the secretary's desk and demanded to know Carter's address.

"I'm sorry, sir," the woman said. "But that information in our databanks at Starfleet Headquarters is classified. I recommend you find a directory at a public terminal."

That would not do. Although he was within his rights to dispatch of this rival according to Vulcan law, he did not want the human authorities involved. He sighed and marched back to Emmie's office, but the commodore intercepted him.

"Mr. Adviser, what is going on?"

He frowned and clasped his hands impatiently in front of him. "I do not know what you are talking about, commodore."

Forrest shook his head and led him to his office, then spun around once the door closed behind them. "Ms. Sadir is on the verge of tears right now, and what is this about you finding Carter?"

L'Vek stiffened. "That is none of your concern."

"It is if it's upsetting one of my employees!" Forrest rounded on him, pacing back and forth. The Vulcan, at least, had the control to stand still, though he wanted to march out the door. "Now what is going on between you and Carter?"

"As I have said, it is none of your concern," L'Vek reiterated, his posture rigid now.

Forrest stomped up to him and looked him directly in the eye. "If this is some petty jealousy issue or something-"

"It is not jealousy," he ground out in protest. "Carter has injured Ms. Sadir. He has harassed her and frightened her, so much so that her work may be affected."

Forrest stiffened as well. "The bruise and that cut?"

L'Vek nodded stiffly. "His work. I am sure of it."

The human backed away, his eyes darkening. "Is he stalking her?"

"That is possible," he said, barely refraining from growling.

Forrest began pacing again. "This isn't our business, Mr. Adviser. HR will take care of this...they'll call the authorities, file a charge for battery and take Carter into custody."

L'Vek wanted to protest, because the thought of Carter locked away and not dead was not enough, but this was not his planet. He would have to acquiesce.

Forrest sat down and made the comm call, and the HR personnel were already headed towards Emmie's office.

"Now that that's out of the way," the human said, standing and coming back over to L'Vek. "Let's talk about Ms. Sadir."

The Vulcan frowned. "And what about Ms. Sadir are we talking about?"

"You're attracted to her."

The statement made L'Vek stiffen more than any mention of Carter's name had, and he gave the commodore his most intimidating stare. "What did you say?"

Forrest simply raised his eyebrows. "If some bastard were harassing my wife or my daughter, I'd be just as pissed as you are right now. I saw the way she looked at you when you caught her in the stairwell. Human women are the most confusing creatures on the planet, Mr. Adviser."

"What are you trying to say, commodore?"

"I'm offering to give you some advice."

The Vulcan sighed and was silent for several minutes. He did not know how to approach Emmie with the subject, and it was becoming clearer to him day by day that no one else would do but her. He didn't admit that to himself, but it would be prudent to keep all lines of communication open, should he need them.

"I will consider it, commodore," L'Vek said finally. "And if I have need of your advice...I will ask you then."

Forrest sighed and nodded. "If you need me, you know where to find me."

…

It wasn't until late that afternoon that Emmie saw L'Vek again. She came into his office, her arms folded across her chest, and she hesitated several times before finally speaking.

"I'm sorry for what I said this morning," she said, looking at the floor. "It was rude of me. I realize now that you were simply concerned for me, and I can't tell you...how much I appreciate that."

He stood and came around his desk so he was within arms reach of her, and she continued, finally looking him in the eye.

"All my life, I've learned to get by on my own. I've learned to be independent, and just about any situation you throw at me, I can handle. But I..." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I can't handle this!" she whimpered, burying her head in her hands. "It's just...too much! Can't a bastard take a hint? No means no!"

She couldn't fight the river of tears that was building behind her eyes, and before she could blink or try to compose herself, warm arms held her tightly to a strong chest, and an even warmer hand stroked her hair.

She gasped, but could not bring herself to meet his eyes. She stayed still, relishing the warmth of his body, delighted in the wonderful sensation of heat surrounding her.

"You need not worry about him," L'Vek whispered into her hair. Slowly, as to not startle him, she wrapped her arms around him, and when she received no protest, she held onto him tighter. "Your Human Resources department and the authorities will take care of him."

"Thank you," she whispered, leaning carefully into his chest. His grip increased at that, and suddenly she realized that he was touching her, _embracing_ her...she thought Vulcans didn't touch other people.

"I don't mean to cry all over you," she ground out between sobs. "But I..I-"

"Meskhenet," he whispered. She looked up at him and was surprised to see tenderness in his gaze, and he cupped his warm palm to her cheek. "He is not worth your tears," he continued, his thumb wiping away the wetness from her cheeks. She smiled wanly up at him, and she could have sworn she saw a shadow of a smile on his lips.

They stared at each other in silence, and Emmie was seriously considering trying to kiss him when the doorchime rang.

She broke away from him, and Emmie folded her hands across her chest and turned away to wipe away her tears. L'Vek went to the door, but he turned and looked at her before he pressed the panel, his eyebrow raised as to ask if she were ready. She nodded.

The door opened to reveal a beautiful young Vulcan woman with short and precise black hair, an aquiline nose and full, plush lips. Her cheekbones were high and structured, and Emmie couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious in this woman's presence.

The woman looked at Emmie with an almost accusatory raised eyebrow, then turned to L'Vek. She was bearing a cup of something.

She said something in Vulcan and offered him the cup, and he raised an eyebrow at her, replying in Vulcan. She shook her head, saying something more and held aloft the cup, apparently eager for him to take it.

L'Vek turned to Emmie. "Ms. Sadir, when a woman cries, she is often thirsty afterward, am I correct?"

She frowned. "Where did you learn that?"

"From the biological texts the commodore sent me. Are you thirsty?"

She glanced at the cup. "Isn't that meant for you?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, then turned to the Vulcan woman and took the cup from her. He then walked to Emmie and handed it to her.

"Drink."

Emmie frowned and looked at the Vulcan woman, who looked shocked. "Are you sure?"

L'Vek nodded. "Drink, Meskhenet," he murmured. She stared at him a long moment, then obeyed.

The Vulcan woman stormed out, and Emmie watched her go with a bemused expression.

"What did she want?"

"Nothing of import. Is that enough water or shall I call for more?"

Emmie shook her head. "I'm fine...did I just commit a cultural faux pas?"

His eyes gleamed in amusement. "Not necessary. I did."

She started to question, but he held up his hand. "Please do not ask, Ms. Sadir. Do you feel better?"

She nodded, and he held out his hand for the empty cup, and she handed it to him. "Are you in trouble?"

He shook his head. "No, I am free to make my own decisions."

She frowned at his statement, but nodded, resigned to not understanding this little bit of Vulcan culture.

Emmie rubbed her hands down her pants legs and smiled up at him. "Thank you again, L'V-Mr. Adviser." She swallowed nervously, but his eyes gleamed in amusement.

"My name _is _L'Vek. And you are welcome, Meskhenet."

Her name sounded heavenly when he said it, and she blinked slowly as the sound of his voice sent an unexpected wave of curiosity and heat through her body.

"Well, I'd better get going. I'm moving tomorrow to the other side of town since there's still no word on Carter. Got lots of packing to do."

"May I help you move?"

She grinned. "I'd really appreciate your help," she paused, "L'Vek."

He nodded and clasped his hands in front of him. "Then I will see you in the morning."

She smiled again and took her leave, then walked out of the office in a daze.

…

He watched her bury her face in her hands and admit that she couldn't handle the current situation with Carter, and before he knew it, he was wrapping his arms securely around her slim figure and pulling her tightly to his chest. He heard her gasp, but he stroked her soft, silky hair and whispered gently to her that she need not worry anymore. She slowly returned his embrace, and he closed his eyes, cherishing the moment with her in his arms. _His Meskhenet..._

He could not bring himself to banish the words. This felt too good, too _right _to suppress, and he gripped her tighter at her whispered thank-you. The feel of her in his arms was _exquisite_...but she was crying, and he did not want her to be upset. He wanted her to be content.

"I don't mean to cry all over you," she managed to say between sobs. "But I...I-"

"Meskhenet," he cooed, cutting her off. Her name tumbled from his lips like a sacred prayer, and he rejoiced in the _rightness _of it all. _Yes, this was how things were meant to be..._

"He is not worthy of your tears," he continued, his posture stiffening at the thought of his adversary. One day, the man would die by his hand, and the nightmare that plagued his woman would be no more...

She smiled up at him, though her face was wan and pale from her tears, and he cupped her cheek with his palm and wiped away her tears. Once again, a flood of emotions washed over him, and he could feel a strange wave of..._desire_?

Did she truly wish this? Was she enjoying this contact as much as he? Did she even know the secrets of his heart, his hidden desire to make her his?

He was inundated with the sudden urge to kiss her, but his thoughts were interrupted by the doorchime.

Emmie broke away from him, and he beat a hasty path to the doorway. Who dared interrupt him when he was alone with she who should be his? Who dared impose themselves on his precious moments alone with Meskhenet?

He stopped at the doorway and turned around, casting a silent inquiry towards her as he raised his eyebrow, wondering if she felt composed enough to be seen by his visitor. She nodded, and he tapped the control panel.

The woman behind the door gave him an appraising look as she looked into his eyes, but her glance was cold as she glanced at Emmie. The newcomer turned to him and offered him a cup of water.

Immediately, he knew who she was, or at least what she was sent her for. She was his family's choice for his wife, she whom his family wished to make his.

"_I am T'Keva, daughter of T'Kal. I come to serve you,_" she said in the customary Vulcan, her dark brown eyes gleaming in approval as she raised the cup towards him, eager for him to take it.

T'Kal's clan was of a higher position than most on Vulcan, not quite as high as his, but well-placed. Her clan had been rooting for an alliance with his for decades now, and no doubt T'Keva, if he were inclined to let her succeed, would bring great honor to her family by making him her mate.

He spoke the first words on his mind, not bothering with the customary response. "_Do you speak English_?"

She perhaps thought he wanted to include Emmie in the discussion, and her next words rubbed him with ire. "_What does she have to do with us, Osu?_"

L'Vek turned to Emmie. "Ms. Sadir, when a woman cries, she often thirsty afterward, am I correct?"

She frowned. "Where did you learn that?"

"From the biological texts the commodore sent me. Are you thirsty?"

She glanced at the water. "Isn't that meant for you?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, then turned to T'Keva and took the cup from her. The woman looked pleased until he approached Emmie and handed it to her. He did not see the Vulcan woman's reaction; he was focused on his lady, on seeing to _her _needs.

"Drink," he purred. If Emmie accepted, it would be a grave insult to T'Keva, and she would most likely leave immediately. So his plan was perfect.

But Emmie looked unsure, staring at the Vulcan woman behind him. "Are you sure?"

L'Vek nodded. "Drink, Meskhenet," he murmured. _Take it, and make her leave. Take it, and be my wife._

She paused for a long moment, and he waited eagerly for her to drink. _Take it, and know that you are mine._

Emmie drank the water, and L'Vek did not even watch T'Keva flounce out of the room. His family's choice was aesthetically pleasing by Vulcan standards, but she was nothing to the woman in front of him. She was not his Meskhenet.

The dark part of him deep down in his gut was roaring in triumph as he saw there was no water left in Emmie's cup. He would not tell her what she had done, but one day soon...she would have to know. He had exhausted all other options and was left with one: take his Meskhenet as his wife or die trying.

_**Well, L'Vek (you know who you are), what do you have to say for yourself? Kuvak, any words of advice? Your thoughts?**_


	7. Moving Day Part 1

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thanks so much to Fameanon (and L'Vek and Kuvak), dinopoodle, maba7x, SavanaSahara, Nyotarules, T'Sara, 09sasha and bina W for reviewing! Thank you all for the support!**_

_**A/N: I'm going to include two more people's POV for this chapter, because this chapter could be considered a prologue for another story I'll do after this one is complete. So don't be alarmed, ok?**_

"He did _what_?"

Emmie frowned to herself. "He gave the water to me, and he...stared at me and told me to drink...and he used my first name. Meskhenet, not Emmie."

Brad whistled. "Ok, Vulcan or no, I think this guy's got it bad for you."

"Don't be silly, Brad," she murmured, but even she was not convinced of her own words. She continued sorting through her books while Brad's sister, Tawny, dusted the now-empty shelves.

"No, Emmie," Tawny said softly. "I think he likes you...oh, isn't it romantic, Brad? An e-exotic...p-princess...and the foreign knight...in shining armor!"

Emmie smiled to herself at Tawny's romantic notions about her relationship with L'Vek, and at the young woman's valiant effort at talking despite her speech impediment. Tawny had stuttered for as long as she could remember, and had been extremely shy for just as long.

"I'm not a princess, Tawny. If anything, you look more like Cinderella than I do. Hell, you're even cleaning!"

Tawny laughed appreciatively. "But you are a p-princess, Emmie! You're...beautiful."

Emmie stood with an armful of books to deliver to the box by the door, but she leaned over and kissed Tawny's cheek. "The knight in shining armor who gets to sweep you off your feet is a very lucky man, sweetheart," she whispered to the petite blonde. The short woman blushed furiously, but Emmie spied the tiny smile that graced her pink lips as she continued dusting.

…

Kuvak climbed the steps to the Consulate and slipped in quietly, but his unobtrusive entrance was not quiet enough to escape the notice of the secretary and the Vulcan security guards posted in the foyer. All three of them raised the _ta'al _and bowed their heads in respect, and he returned the gesture and approached the woman at the desk.

"Is my cousin here? The adviser?"

She glanced down at her console and nodded. "Yes, I believe he went to his rooms. Come, I will show you."

Kuvak bowed his head in thanks and followed the woman to L'Vek's quarters, and she left him alone when he rang the chime.

As he waited for his cousin to answer, he pondered his reason for coming. Their clan mother, T'Mil, was extremely displeased with her nephew's behavior. Not only had he refused any of the listed candidates she had sent him, he had also slighted T'Keva and refused her companionship, for some human, no less. T'Keva's family was also upset over this, but Kuvak stood by his cousin. L'Vek was over one hundred years old, and was free to make his own decisions. There was clan obligation to fulfill, yes, but surely that did not exclude finding a suitable life partner.

And if this human made him content...perhaps L'Vek meant nothing of it. Perhaps T'Keva was exaggerating, or maybe his cousin was caught at a bad time and had fallen back on his stubborn habits. But neither of these explanations made sense to Kuvak, and he resolved to get to the heart of the matter with his close cousin so he could make a report to T'Mil as soon as possible. Their clan mother had directed him to talk some sense into L'Vek and discover his motives for refusing these mates, and the minister suspected that his cousin had his eyes set on someone already. Therefore, logically, he had no need of T'Keva's services.

Kuvak sighed to himself, then straightened as the door opened. He raised the _ta'al _to his cousin, but then raised an eyebrow at the worn-out clothes L'Vek had donned.

"L'Vek...what is the purpose of your attire?"

His cousin stepped aside so Kuvak could enter, and the door swished closed behind him. "I am going to help a colleague move across town. She instructed me to not come in my robes, as most of the work she would have me do is manual labor, lifting and sorting and cleaning."

The minister raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Colleague, L'Vek?"

His cousin blinked slowly, but said nothing. He turned and finished putting away his meditation candle, and Kuvak stepped closer to him.

"T'Mil is displeased, L'Vek. She does not understand why you refused T'Keva and the other women, but I believe I know the truth."

L'Vek looked up at him with an almost accusatory gaze, but Kuvak held up a hand. "Remember, cousin, that I am older than you, and I have many years in the political arena under my belt. I am not the most outspoken member in the council chambers...but I know you, L'Vek. And I will have to face your fate in a year's time now."

His cousin's gaze turned dark, and he looked away, silently trimming the wick on his candle.

"Kuvak," he murmured after a long pause. "I do not know what to do...I do not know how to approach her, how to even _begin _to explain...our secrets..."

The minister closed his eyes and nodded in understanding. "She is human, then?"

L'Vek nodded. "The most enchanting of their species that I have ever met."

Kuvak looked over L'Vek's attire again, his eyes brightening. "May I help your _colleague _move as well?"

His cousin turned to him. "You want to meet her."

"Is that so wrong? Is it such a bad thing to want to meet the woman who has captured my cousin's attention? She must be extraordinary, if you desire her so badly."

L'Vek nodded. "She is...remarkable."

Kuvak allowed himself a small smile. "Do you have any spare clothing? It's hardly appropriate for me to go in diplomatic attire, if you will not. Besides...helping someone move their things...I have never done that before. It will be...novel. A man of my age hardly gets to see much novelty."

L'Vek's lips twitched upward. "Then I shall let you have a little in your dying days, cousin." He opened a drawer and handed Kuvak some clothes. "I believe those will do."

Kuvak smirked slightly at the teasing and retreated to the bathroom to change.

…

L'Vek raised an eyebrow at his cousin as Kuvak came out of the bathroom, dressed in something akin to civilian attire. It was odd to see his older cousin in such simple clothing; he was accustomed to seeing the man dressed in some of the finest robes available on Vulcan, like the ones he had come in today. Kuvak laid his robes over a chair and held out his arms.

"Is this acceptable?"

L'Vek nodded. "You do not look like a minister of the High Command. You look...strange."

Kuvak looked down at himself and shrugged. "If we are doing manual labor, then it will suffice...but I must admit, you look strange as well."

"The guards will think that we have lost our senses. And I'm sure the humans on the street will get suspicious."

The minister nodded. "Then let's call a transport as to not raise their suspicions. Can you contact one from here?"

L'Vek nodded and quickly contacted a taxi flitter, and he and his cousin strode out of the embassy, blatantly ignoring the guards and their raised eyebrows, and the flitter arrived in less than fifteen minutes. Kuvak and L'Vek got in, but L'Vek directed the driver to a nearby gift shop.

"I took the liberty of looking at the Earth database while you were changing," L'Vek explained. "Apparently, when someone moves, it is traditional for their friends and family to give them gifts, to celebrate occupying a new home."

Kuvak raised an eyebrow. "Did it say what kind of gift?"

He nodded. "Usually the tradition calls for us to give her something practical, like a set of tumblers or a decorative plate. Alcohol is also acceptable."

"Does she drink alcohol?"

L'Vek sighed. "I do not know. But I do not wish to arrive empty-handed. Perhaps their dying floral arrangements would be acceptable..."

Kuvak looked pensive. "Do you remember the day your parents celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary? Your father got your mother a blooming Vulcan orchid, a single stem. It was purple, and potted in a simple tan vase."

L'Vek nodded. "I always thought mother was especially fond of that orchid plant. She re-housed it outside when it became too big for the pot, and it had the sweetest scent...yes, I will get her an orchid plant. But now we have to find a shop that sells them."

"Simple enough," his cousin said, pulling a PADD from the simple robes they had chosen to wear over their clothes. He accessed the database and found a street.

"Three blocks from here, and one street to the west. A flower shop."

Kuvak ordered the driver to change direction, and after arriving at the store, L'Vek chose a simple purple orchid in a small white pot. They got back in the flitter, L'Vek holding the orchid close to him as they continued on to Emmie's apartment.

"Shall I tell her or will you?"

L'Vek stared at him. "Tell her what, Kuvak?"

"That no man should touch that orchid but you."

The adviser nodded. "It would sound...pretentious coming from me. Would you do the honors?"

Kuvak bowed his head. "I will make sure she understands what to do with your gift."

They sat in the back of the taxi in slightly uneasy silence, or at least, it felt uneasy to L'Vek. Finally, Kuvak spoke again.

"_Cousin, if I may give some advice?_" He had switched to Vulcan.

L'Vek sighed and nodded. "_I will hear your words_."

"_You must make your intentions known to her. The fever will come sooner than you think it will, and I would not have you die in _plak-tow_ because you were slighted and left unaided. Tell her, L'Vek...tell her today, if you can. So she can see where she stands with you and can come to a decision._"

He frowned. "_Humans, as I understand it, require a period of...courtship before they marry their intended mates. I cannot just show up at her door and declare _koon-ut so'lik_. She would most certainly refuse me._"

Kuvak raised his eyebrows. "_I had not considered that. Well, then, cousin, you must start courting her immediately. And then you will declare your intentions, correct?_"

L'Vek suppressed a low growl from escaping his throat. "_Yes, I intend to do just that._"

Finally, they arrived at Emmie's apartment, and L'Vek glanced anxiously at Kuvak.

"Go, cousin," the elder Vulcan instructed him. "I will pay the driver."

L'Vek nodded in thanks and strode up the steps, focused on his mission. The orchid was cupped in his hands, and he stood up straighter after he rang the doorbell.

…

Emmie stacked the last of the books and spare PADDs into the box, and she jumped slightly when she heard the doorbell ring. Her hand went straight to her hair, smoothing it down and tightening the ponytail she had pulled it back into, and she straightened her raggedy fitted T-shirt. Her jeans were slathered in paint from helping her grandmother paint her kitchen a year ago, and the hem was rolled up a few times to stop the over-long pants from dragging the ground.

She opened the door and smiled widely at her guest.

"Hey!" she said cheerfully to L'Vek. Her eyes drifted over his attire and lingered on the orchid clutched in his hands. "Thanks so much for coming! We've got most everything packed, but we could definitely use your help moving everything out to the moving truck. Come on in!"

L'Vek nodded and stepped over the threshold and allowed her to close the door. "I brought my cousin along to help us as well. He'll be in shortly."

Her smile widened. "Thanks, we could use him. Who are the orchids for?"

He held them out to her, and her lips parted in surprise. "For me?"

L'Vek nodded. "For you," he said softly, stepping closer to her. She looked up at him, an electric surge shooting down her spine, and she took the orchid with trembling hands.

"Thank you," she breathed, forgetting Tawny was in the room with her. "You're so sweet!"

He frowned. "I am not made of sucrose, Meskhenet. Why am I being called sweet?"

She laughed and set the orchid on the countertop. "I meant it as a compliment. I'm saying you're very considerate."

She noticed his eyes sparked with pleasure at her statement, and her smile softened as she examined the orchid closely. "It's beautiful, Mr. Adviser. And I have the perfect spot for it once I get everything unpacked at my new place."

He stepped even closer to her and lowered his voice. "My name is L'Vek."

She stared at him for a long moment. "You're ok with me calling you that?"

He nodded. "That is my name. And it is a privilege I am more than willing to give to you, Meskhenet. May I call you that?"

She bit her lip and grinned. "Yes, you may," she murmured, leaning closer, "and only because it sounds so good when you say it."

He quirked an eyebrow and glanced down at the orchid, but she could tell he was pleased. However, when he opened his mouth to reply, he was cut off by the doorbell.

"Tawny, could you get that?" she asked the blonde, who had been quietly working in the background, humming to herself. Tawny nodded and went to the door, smoothing her shirt absentmindedly as she crossed the room.

…

Tawny didn't want to intrude on Emmie's conversation with the Vulcan man, but she couldn't think of a good reason to leave the room. She had been determined to finish sweeping the floor before the Vulcan arrived, but she had gotten distracted a few times with Brad and Emmie's conversation about L'Vek and how charming he seemed to be. As she watched their exchange under her eyelashes, she couldn't help but sigh contentedly at how romantic this Vulcan was. Instead of the usual dying floral arrangement, he had brought her a living, blossoming flower, and Tawny knew that every time the plant needed water, Emmie would have to think of this Vulcan. And the symbolism one could find in that beautiful orchid blooming on its stem...it was too sentimental for words.

Tawny sighed to herself again and hummed a song, trying to drown out their conversation and at least give them a little privacy. She felt guilty for eavesdropping, and the second ring of the doorbell was a welcome relief. Before Emmie could ask, Tawny was ready to answer the door.

She smoothed out her shirt, remembering that L'Vek had brought his cousin to help them as well. And Tawny didn't want to make a bad impression on this man, for Emmie's sake. She wanted L'Vek and his family to have no doubt that Emmie (and the company she kept) was respectable.

The petite blonde opened the door, and her eyes widened a little at the man on the other side of the door. Although he wasn't as tall as some Vulcans she had seen, he felt imposing and important, even despite the work clothes he had donned. It was strange to see a Vulcan without the ornate robes they wore all the time. This newcomer's eyes were bright blue and piercing, and Tawny could have sworn to herself that her heart skipped a beat as she gazed into them. Her stomach clenched a little, and she could feel her throat closing up; it wasn't the first time she had been struck speechless, but those eyes seemed to consume her, halting the words she tried to force out of her mouth, rendering her mute.

He offered her a tiny smile that she might have missed if she hadn't pulled herself away from his gaze and looked over his other features. A long, slender nose and thin lips completed his face, and that combined with his gray hair made him look wise and intelligent. His eyes brightened as he smiled, and Tawny's stomach clenched tighter in her gut. She had never seen a Vulcan smile, but by heaven, it was a lovely sight...

She finally came to her senses and realized she had been standing there with her mouth wide open for about a minute without introducing herself or even inviting the man inside. She groaned inwardly at her lapse in manners, but the man didn't seem to mind. He raised a salute of sorts and looked down at her with an amicable gaze.

"I am Kuvak, L'Vek's cousin. I come to serve. Are you a friend of Meskhenet?"

Tawny could hear Emmie approaching the door behind her, and she silently thanked her for saving her.

"She is. Sweetheart, introduce yourself," Emmie said, nodding her head toward Kuvak. Tawny swallowed thickly.

"I-I-I'm...T-T-Taw-...T-Tawny...T-Tawny T-T-Townsend...pleased to meet you," she ended breathlessly, cursing her tongue for the thousandth time for sucking at talking to people.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Townsend. May I come in?"

His voice was warm and light, like a beam of sunshine coming out behind the clouds and surrounding her with warmth, like putting on a warm sweater straight out of the dryer unit. She scrambled out of his way as Emmie gracefully gestured for him to enter, and she silently thanked heaven that Brad walked in, taking the attention off of her.

Kuvak raised his eyebrows at her brother, and Brad smiled politely. "Hi, I'm Brad Townsend. And you are?"

"Kuvak, L'Vek's cousin. He brought me along to help Ms. Sadir move."

The Vulcan looked back and forth between her and Brad, and her brother caught on, grinning. "She's my little sister."

"Ah," Kuvak said, turning to Emmie, who was now standing by L'Vek. "And you are the woman my cousin told me about."

Emmie nodded. "Meskhenet Sadir, at your service, sir."

Tawny didn't miss the meaningful glance that the two Vulcans traded, but she quickly busied herself with her sweeping, hoping they would ignore her.

But she had no such luck. Emmie began prioritizing each box and sorting them by size and contents, and Tawny could no longer hide in the corner with the broom. She had to help her friend, and she tried her hardest to ignore the Vulcans and look like she knew what she was doing. But her hands were trembling now, and every move she made felt awkward and gawky to her.

And she couldn't help but notice that as they sorted through the boxes, Kuvak's eyes seemed to find hers more often than not. His deep blue gaze made her feel strange inside, and she quickly looked away, fumbling with the tape as she secured a box.

Emmie seemed to notice her discomfort, as she grabbed a rag and some cleaning liquid off the countertop and thrust them into Tawny's arms.

"Could you go down to the storage unit and clean off the brown and silver shelf? It's got an open back, its about your height. Maybe Brad and I can move it later, but can you dust it off for me?"

Tawny pounced on the opportunity to escape and nearly ran out of the apartment.

…

The skittish blonde was gone perhaps ten minutes when they got all the boxes sorted and ready to move. L'Vek was giving Kuvak a meaningful look, practically begging him to leave so he could talk to Emmie. Kuvak seemed to get the hint and drew Emmie aside.

"Firstly, Ms. Sadir," L'Vek heard Kuvak murmur, "I feel obligated to inform you of the...cultural significance of the orchid my cousin gave you."

Emmie's eyes widened. "What does it mean?"

"In essence...he gave that as a gift for you and you alone. We come from a desert world, and thriving life is hard to find. A blooming flower, like the orchid he gave you, symbolizes new life and new hope. He did not give you that flower lightly. Tend to it with care, Ms. Sadir, and do not let any man touch it, besides L'Vek."

Emmie frowned. "Why can't other men touch it?"

Kuvak sighed. "It is very hard to explain, but he meant that flower for you, and only you, to care for. When the movers come, do not let them take it from you. Your friend Brad as well...he should not lay hands on that flower."

His beloved raised both eyebrows. "If you insist, I'll tell the guys to keep their paws off."

Kuvak furrowed his brow. "I was under the impression that men of your world had hands."

Emmie laughed. "It's an expression, Kuvak."

"Ah," he murmured in comprehension. "There is one other thing, Ms. Sadir...may I go help your friend, Ms. Townsend? Can you give me directions to the storage unit?"

Meskhenet gave him a searching look, mischievous and a little suspicious. "Sure," she said after a moment. "I'm certain she could use your help."

She gave him the directions, then flopped down on the couch. L'Vek perched gingerly on the seat beside her, and received no complaints.

"You and your cousin are lifesavers, L'Vek," she murmured, leaning all the way back and closing her eyes. "I don't think we could have gotten done this fast without your help."

"I am pleased I was able to help you, Ms. Sadir."

She opened one eye and gave him a knowing look. "We're not done yet, L'Vek. We've still got to move everything to my new place." She sat up. "Unless of course you and Kuvak have somewhere to be, we can handle this-"

He held up a hand. "I came to help you until you no longer require my help. If you need me to help you move into your new apartment, I would be please to assist you."

She grinned. "Well, then, you're not escaping me just yet, Mr. Adviser. The moving truck should be here soon."

Brad finished taping the last box and straightened as the doorbell rang.

"That's for you, Brad," Emmie said with a smile. Brad smirked and answered the door, revealing a very slender human man with tan skin and black hair. The newcomer wore a bright pink shirt and tight jeans with pale brown boots, and a lazy, almost seductive grin spread across Brad's face.

"Hey, honey," Brad purred, and L'Vek raised an eyebrow. He had thought Brad might have been a rival, but by the looks of it...

The newcomer kissed Brad on the cheek and took his hand. "What's with all the boxes, Emmie? Spring cleaning or something?"

"It's a long story, Armando," she said wearily. "I'm moving across town."

Armando's face fell. "Oh, Emmie, I can't take Brad out to lunch if he's helping you!"

She smiled. "It's all right, honey, I've got two Vulcans working with me. This is L'Vek, by the way. We're in a cultural exchange program together. L'Vek, this is Armando De La Vega, Brad's boyfriend."

L'Vek's eyes found the two men's joined hands and he nodded. So Brad was not a rival. He had never been a rival...

The darker side of him was inordinately pleased with this news, and even more pleased when Emmie practically commanded them to leave.

"Go have lunch," she insisted. "We've got this covered."

Armando shrugged and pulled Brad out of the apartment, waving goodbye to Emmie before closing the door behind him. L'Vek relaxed into the couch and folded his hands in his lap. Finally, he was alone with her, but he had no idea of what to say, or what to do. He looked over at her, and she had her eyes closed, resting her head on the back of the couch. She had pulled back her silky hair into a ponytail and covered the rest with a bandana, but a stray lock had escaped its bonds. He reached out and tucked it back in place, letting his thumb caress her cheek, and a lazy smile graced her lips.

"That feels nice," she murmured, opening her eyes and pinning him with her electric gaze. His fingertips were tingling now, itching for the feel of her skin, and for once, he gave in to instinct. He raised two fingers and stroked them along her cheek, letting his guard down, letting his intentions flow through the pads of his fingers. He felt a jolt of electricity zip down his spine at her gasp, and her eyes, which had been hooded (_seductively so_, his darker half contributed), flew open wide.

He snatched his hand away and waited with bated breath for her reaction. She frowned and sat up straighter, staring down at his hands.

"What was that?" she breathed. "Didn't you feel that?"

"Feel what?" he said lightly, letting a tiny smile twitch his lips upward.

She shook her head and furrowed her brow. "Don't tell me you didn't feel that."

He decided to play innocent. "I do not know what you are referring to, Meskhenet."

She sighed in apparent exasperation and took her hand in his. She probably was trying to raise it to her face again, but he brushed his fingertips against hers, and she gasped again. The sound was delightful...

"That!" she murmured. "That right there! That...electric...what is that?"

His smile grew by the tiniest fraction, and he gazed deeply into her eyes. "Perhaps you should show me what you are referring to."

"This!" she growled, pressing her fingertips in earnest to his. He breathed in sharply and pressed back, working the pads of his fingers against her skin, caressing her slowly, then quickening his pace, then slowing again. He was prepared (somewhat) for the exquisite spark of electricity that surged through his veins. But he was not prepared for his body's reaction to her gasp. The sound that came out of her mouth made fire burn through him, making his fingertips itch. His mouth went inexplicably dry, and a soft (_and wonderfully erotic_) moan escaped her parted lips. Her eyes had closed, but she opened them slowly; her pupils had bloomed, consuming her gray irises, and he knew from the biological texts the commodore had sent him that this most likely meant she was aroused...

_Perfect_, the darker side of him purred. He increased his pressure slowly and raised his other hand to cup her face; she leaned into him, and his thumb ever so slightly brushed across her lower lip. He was rewarded with another groan, lascivious yet soft, and he was flooded with the desire to know what it might be like to move his mouth against hers, to taste her lips with his tongue, to hear her delighted gasps and groans as he showed her that her fingertips were not the only thing he could stimulate...

He leaned forward, but he froze when he heard the doorbell. Immediately, he withdrew his hands from her and scooted away on the couch...yet he could not say he was ashamed of his behavior.

She blinked rapidly as if to wake herself from a daze, and she narrowed her eyes at him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"I will get you back for that," she breathed, her lips brushing the cartilage of his ear. He closed his eyes briefly to regain control of himself, and they both stood. She answered the door and let Kuvak and Tawny back in, and the moving truck arrived a minute later. It didn't escape his notice that his cousin was staring at the blonde with a curious (and slightly hungry) gaze, and that Tawny was avoiding looking him in the eye. Her cheeks had turned light pink, and Meskhenet also looked a little flushed...

L'Vek sighed and grabbed the first box within reach.

_**A/N: L'Vek, you dirty dog, you better start explaining. And Kuvak...we'll get to you next chapter. ;)**_


	8. Moving Day Part 2

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thanks so much to Fameanon (and L'Vek and Kuvak), maba7x, jackiemack916, 09sasha, snapeissexy and the anon Guest for reviewing! Thank you so much for the support!**_

_**A/N: Same two people are adding their POVs for this chapter, ok? "New York State of Mind" belongs to Billy Joel and Columbia Records, in other words, not me, aight?**_

"Go, cousin," Kuvak instructed L'Vek, getting out of the flitter. "I will pay the driver."

L'Vek nodded and strode purposefully up the steps, and Kuvak turned to the driver to pay for the ride. The transaction only took a minute, but Kuvak lingered on the sidewalk and watched the flitter disappear in the air traffic overhead before turning towards Emmie's apartment. He wanted to give L'Vek a little time to greet his intended and give her the orchid, so he breathed in slowly and basked in the spring sunshine, grateful for the little warmth it offered the world below.

After three minutes, he was sure his cousin had had plenty of time to give Meskhenet her orchid and greet her, so he walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. He heard quiet voices inside and quick footsteps, and he straightened. He wanted Meskhenet to think that L'Vek (and his family) was respectable and worthy of her attention, so he plastered a pleasant look on his face and let a tiny smile grace his lips as the door opened.

But the woman behind the door was not Meskhenet. This human was petite, nearly fragile, but her facial features radiated an earnest kindness that he found strangely appealing. Her large wintergreen eyes widened further as she looked over him, and her plump pink lips parted in apparent shock. Everything about her was slender and delicate, from her thin nose to her fair skin, and he was reminded of the porcelain dolls humans gave to their children. Her hair was golden blonde, a trait never found in Vulcans, and though she had it braided back away from her delicate face, he could tell that when unbound it curled widely down her back. But the most intriguing thing about her was the awe and admiration creeping out of her. She was slightly intimidated by him, but mostly he felt a surge of interest, curiosity, and the tiniest twinge of something else, something slightly darker...

He banished the thought and offered her a tiny smile, watching in fascination as her jaw dropped further and her pupils bloomed outward, dilating slightly as she gazed at his lips.

"I am Kuvak, L'Vek's cousin. I come to serve," he said finally, raising the _ta'al_. "Are you a friend of Meskhenet?"

The woman closed her mouth, perhaps at a loss for words, but he saw relief spread across her features as a dark-haired lady walked to the door.

"She is," the dark-haired woman said. He recognized her as Meskhenet Sadir, the woman his cousin had entered the cultural exchange program with, the woman who had taken L'Vek to Egypt, the woman who had captured his cousin's heart.

She turned to the blonde. "Sweetheart, introduce yourself."

The woman looked terrified at the prospect, but he fixed a kind gaze on her as she swallowed and opened her mouth to speak.

"I-I-I'm...T-T-Taw-...T-Tawny...T-Tawny T-T-Townsend...pleased to meet you," she ended breathlessly, her pale cheeks turning light pink.

This little human fascinated him more and more with each passing minute. The only human females he had ever met were MACOs or diplomats, women confident in themselves, bold in their ideals and goals. And yet here was a fragile little female who's tongue was somehow hindered, and the wave of frustration he felt roll off of her tugged at his heart. He felt pity stir in his gut and made no attempt to subdue it; from the back of his brain, from the depths of his soul, a voice told him to reach out to her, and that voice did not want her to be afraid, or hindered in any way. It wanted to help...he wanted to help...

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Townsend. May I come in?" he replied, and he didn't miss the way her pupils dilated further. He felt a flash of that dark emotion from her, and although the voice from his depths whispered for him to explore it further, he focused his attention on Ms. Sadir. His cousin's intended gracefully gestured for him to enter, and already he was impressed with her. He could feel her devotion and care for Ms. Townsend, her protective nature of the fragile doll who had answered the door. She held herself like a lady, and if L'Vek did manage to make her his, she would make a fine woman of their clan.

He turned his attention to the human man who entered the room, a young male, no older than thirty, with blonde hair like Ms. Townsend's, and deep green eyes. Kuvak raised his eyebrows at him.

"Hi, I'm Brad Townsend," the man said politely with a smile. "And you are?"

"Kuvak, L'Vek's cousin. He brought me along to help Ms. Sadir move."

Kuvak glanced back and forth between Brad and Tawny, and the human male's eyes lit with comprehension.

"She's my little sister," he explained, and the Vulcan nodded in understanding.

"Ah," he said, turning once more to Meskhenet. "And you are the woman my cousin told me about."

She straightened and nodded. "Meskhenet Sadir, at your service," she said smoothly, and Kuvak gazed meaningfully at L'Vek's inquiring gaze. She was a gracious hostess, and if his cousin's accounts of her were correct, she would make an excellent addition to their family. Yes, she seemed a worthy mate for him, and Kuvak was satisfied.

They immediately went to work sorting boxes by priority and contents, and Kuvak was further impressed with Ms. Sadir's organizational skills. He knew she held a civilian position at Starfleet Command, and it was obvious to him that she was skilled at her job, whatever that may be.

They sorted boxes and prepared them for transportation across the city, and Kuvak couldn't help but glance up more often than not to observe Ms. Townsend work. Her brilliant green eyes found his, her gaze brimming with nervousness, and then she would look away. His curiosity was getting the better of his manners, and he realized too late that he was making her uncomfortable. And yet, he couldn't help but send a few surreptitious glances her way, letting his eyes roam over her, drinking in her features. His eyes found slender arms and creamy skin, long, dark lashes and the most intriguing spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She was blushing now, the high points of her cheeks turning that lovely shade of pink, and he felt strangely bereft when Meskhenet sent her on her errand. He wasn't done examining her, and he felt more curious than ever. He had so many questions to ask, and there was so much to learn about her. Why did she have trouble speaking? What did she do for a living? Where did she come from? Questions rolled around in his head, and that combined with L'Vek's pointed glances made him finally draw Meskhenet aside.

"May I go help your friend, Ms. Townsend? Can you give me directions to the storage unit?"

…

Tawny practically ran down the street and around the corner, the cleaning fluid and rag clutched tightly to her chest like a lifeline, and only when she had reached the storage unit did she dare slow down and breathe. That Vulcan, Kuvak...she could still feel his eyes roaming over her, lingering in the oddest places. Her hair was still standing on end from being under his electric gaze, and she closed her eyes and leaned against the shelf she had to clean. He was an older man, sure...but that didn't stop him from being strangely attractive. It was as if he were a strong magnet, and she was simply scraps of metal; there was a wonderful and frightening tension between them, but it was best not to get her hopes up. She didn't even know if he lived on Earth or was simply here for a visit. She didn't even know what he did for a living.

With a sigh, she sprayed down the shelf and began cleaning, first humming to herself (she was alone, after all, and no one would hear), then breaking out into song.

…

Kuvak closed the door behind him and walked down the stairs, then directed his steps toward the storage unit a few streets over. He hadn't been blind to L'Vek's pointed stares, and he knew his cousin would probably find a way to get Brad out of the apartment so he could talk to Emmie alone. Kuvak could only hope L'Vek had the courage to finally tell his intended how he felt about her.

All in all, Kuvak was glad to get out of the apartment. Tawny was no longer in there, and his curiosity was getting the better of him. And if he had a chance to discover more about this human...then he would take it. He was older than his cousin and had come to realize that even with a two-hundred year lifespan, it was best not to waste time with insecurities and doubts. If Kuvak had listened to his own insecurities, he wouldn't be holding a seat on the High Command by now. He would still be a low-level aid at best, perhaps not even on his home planet, but off running errands for an ambassador to Qo'noS or Denobula.

He found the correct storage unit, and he soon knew he was in the right place. He could hear her singing...

"_Some folks like to get away, for a holiday from the neighborhood_..."

Kuvak crept closer, slipping inside the door of the unit. She hadn't heard or seen him yet, but he had a good view of her. She was cleaning the shelf and singing as she worked, and as the tune poured forth from her lips, the words came free without hesitation or hindrance. So this speech problem that she had probably didn't affect her singing.

"_Hop a flight to Miami beach or to Hollywood_..."

Kuvak leaned against the stack of boxes he was currently shielded behind and closed his eyes. She may not have been able to introduce herself, but had she somehow done so in song...

"_I'm just takin' a Greyhound, on the Hudson River line...I'm in a New York state of mind_..."

Her voice dropped to an aggressive growl at the end of the phrase, a powerful belt coming from her throat. At the sound of it, a sharp tingling sensation shot down his spine, and he breathed in slowly...he was not expecting _this_...

"_It was so easy livin' day by day, out of touch with the rhythm and the blues_..."

Her voice turned lighter at the next phrase, and he chanced a glance at her. She had her eyes closed, and her expression was one of pure bliss. There was no frustration or fear to be found in her now, and her delivery of the song was riveting...

"_But now I need a little give and take...the New York Times...the Daily News..._"

She swung herself out, both of her hands gripping the sides of the shelf, and her momentum carried her back in closer to the shelf. She looked childlike, but so happy...With a careless little spin, Tawny let go of the shelf and stopped herself mid-twirl, now facing the door (and him), her eyes still closed, oblivious to the fact that he was watching, transfixed...

"_It comes down to reality, and that's fine with me, 'cause I'll let it slide...don't care if it's Chinatown or on Riverside..._"

A brilliant smile spread across her face, and her body language became more open as she gestured and moved with the music. It was absolutely fascinating to see this side of her, perhaps a hidden side of her...this entire exchange suddenly felt very intimate to him, but somehow that made her performance all the more enjoyable. To see her singing with such passion and conviction, without any inhibitions, was something special...this was a moment to be savored, because it was unlikely he would get this opportunity again...

"_I don't have any reasons, I've left them all behind...I'm in a New York state of mind!_"

Another sharp tingle raced through his veins at the note she held out at the end of the phrase, and he unconsciously took a step back, amazed at the power behind her voice as her song rose to a thundering crescendo...

"_I'm just takin' a Greyhound, on the Hudson River line..._"

Her voice was softer and sweeter then, like a whisper or a caress...an ache was growing at the base of his spine that had nothing to do with his age...

"_'Cause I'm in...I'm in a New York..._"

She took a deep breath, and he held his breath with her, unable to tear his eyes away from her...

"_State...of...mind! Oh, I'm in a New York state of mind!_"

Another powerful bellow from her left his mouth dry and his fingertips tingling, and the song ended sweetly, as her voice developed an...attractive gravely tone for her last few notes. The air in his lungs seemed stolen away, and as she turned away (her cheeks flushing pink), he came out from behind the boxes and clapped, showing his appreciation for her talent in the method of her people.

She jumped and spun around to face him, her brilliant green eyes blowing wide in fear as her jaw dropped at the sight of him standing there. He found it incredibly strange, how endearing she looked with her lips parted...

"Are you from there?" he asked gently, offering her a kind smile. "Your New York City?"

She shook her head. "No," she breathed. "I-It's j-just a s-song...h-how long were you...?"

"Long enough to know that your voice is magnificent, Ms. Townsend," he replied warmly. "Do you sing for a living?"

She shook her head harder and slowly backed away from him, bumping into the shelf and squeaking in fright. He raised his eyebrows in concern, but she set her jaw and faced him again.

"N-no...I-I don't sing...n-not in front of...p-people...I-I c-can't..."

On the one hand, it disappointed him to hear that she wasn't sharing her gift with the world, but on the other, he was thrilled that he was privileged to witness her incredible talent.

"Forgive me for saying so, but I beg to differ. With a little training, you could become someone great."

Her eyes widened further at that, and it did not escape his notice when her pupils dilated. He would have to research that reaction in humans as soon as possible...

"T-Th-Thank you, s-sir...but I-I..."

She sighed and turned away, her face flushed, waves of frustration pouring off of her. He stepped back and watched her clean the rest of the shelf. Once it was free of dust and grime, he came forward and lifted it easily with one hand, resting one of the middle shelves on his shoulder.

"Didn't Ms. Sadir say she wanted this shelf?"

Tawny was staring at him in pure awe, and that dark voice at the back of his head was relishing in the attention. No woman had ever looked at him like that before...

"Uh-huh," she squeaked in affirmation. "H-How...the sh-shelf..."

He glanced at his burden, then offered her a tiny smile. "Vulcan has three times the gravity as your planet. It's nothing, truly. Shall we?"

She nodded, and he led her back out of the storage unit, but she could not hide her breathless whisper from his sensitive Vulcan ears.

"Wow..." she breathed, and he could feel the tips of his ears flushing slightly. Was she impressed with his strength perhaps? The thought made the dark voice in his head purr with satisfaction, and he felt a lightness in his abdomen that he had never experienced before. This day _had _been novel, more fascinating than he could have ever imagined, and he decided then and there to extend his stay a little longer, if for nothing else than to see more facets of Tawny Townsend.

…

The last box was packed into the moving truck, and Emmie's landlord showed up for her to sign off on her contract. The elderly woman seemed surprised to see the Vulcans there, but bowed her head politely and handed Emmie the PADD. Kuvak and Tawny filed out the door, and L'Vek was about to follow the landlord out when Emmie's arm blocked his way.

"Mrs. Donahue, I'm going to do a quick run through to make sure I've got everything, ok? I'll only be a few minutes."

The elderly landlord sighed. "You've got five minutes, Ms. Sadir."

"Perfect," Emmie muttered, then snapped the door shut. Her gray eyes found his, gleaming with mischief and (he could hardly believe it) desire, and she slowly walked forward, her gaze seemingly trapping him; he was frozen in place as her gaze dropped to his chest, and she reached out and stroked her finger slowly down his tunic. She quickly glanced up at him, and he felt chills run down his spine. Her body was pressed to his now, so close that he could feel her heart beating in her chest and count the eyelashes that framed her captivating eyes...

"I told you I would get you back for...whatever you pulled on the couch earlier," she whispered in his ear. "So...here's a little payback..."

Without further ado, her lips slowly sealed over his, and he breathed in sharply, his hands automatically pulling her closer. Her soft, sweet lips felt wonderful against his, and he could feel the ancient chant of possession throbbing in his veins as she moaned her pleasure into his mouth. L'Vek quickened the kiss, deepening it, dominating her mouth with measured yet fervent movements. Her warm hand cupped his cheek, her desire for him seeping into his skin, and a low growl rose slowly in his throat as she groaned again. _Mine_, the dark side of him whispered. _All mine_...

She finally pulled back, her lips still inches from his face, and he felt keenly bereft without her lips pressed to his. The animalistic side of him wanted desperately to continue, and his fingers dug into her flesh, wordlessly instructing her to stay put. Before she could protest, he gave her another kiss, his tongue at last relishing the taste of her lips; the hunger was keen, and every enthralling caress she gave him whetted his appetite. He would satiate this craving with her if it was the last thing he did...

"Come on," she purred, pulling away and opening the door. "They'll be waiting for us."

He nodded and focused his thoughts, but as he followed her out the door, his eyes fixated on the alluring sway of her hips. He pulled his gaze away when he saw Kuvak looking at him with a curious gaze. He quirked an eyebrow at his cousin, then climbed into the flitter taxi after his intended, the dark beast inside his chest roaring in his victory.

_**A/N: Think everything's peachy keen? Just wait till T'Mil gets a load of this. L'Vek, you've got some explaining to do, but mostly I want to know what Kuvak has to say for himself.**_


	9. Heart to Heart

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thanks so very much to Fameanon (and L'Vek and Kuvak), maba7x, jackiemack916, snapeissexy, 09sasha, Nyotarules, and the anon reviewer for reviewing! You are all wonderful!**_

_**A/N: Kuvak and Tawny are back for this chapter.**_

Emmie flopped down on the couch beside him, and L'Vek immediately reached out and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She looked tired, but she gave him a genuine smile that made his stomach churn. They were alone again, if only for perhaps half an hour, as Kuvak and Tawny had gone down the street to eat a late lunch. Emmie had claimed she wasn't hungry and gave him a meaningful look, and so the two of them stayed behind with her new apartment to themselves.

"Have I told you that you and your cousin are lifesavers?"

He offered her a tiny smile. "Yes, you have told me. The cause was more than sufficient...I am more than pleased to help you."

L'Vek stroked two fingers down his intended's cheek, and she moaned contently. The sound of that made his heart swell with pride and satisfaction...

"What are you doing to me?" she whispered. "Tell me, L'Vek...please..."

"Vulcan fingers are...sensitive. There are thousands of nerve endings in them, and sometimes...when a man strokes his fingers down his intended's skin...without his mental barriers in place...it creates a type of...electricity...does this please you?"

Her gray eyes turned dark. "Yes," she murmured, stroking his face the way a bondmate would...his darker side was growling in approval... "Very much. But, L'Vek...intended?"

He carefully took her hand in his. "Do you remember when you came to me? After the incident in the stairwell? You brought me green tea with ginger."

She smiled at him. "Yes, I remember. You said it was 'adequate'."

He shook his head and sighed. "Meskhenet...I am unbonded. I do not have a...mate. In your language...the closest equivalent would be 'wife'. I have no one."

Emmie frowned slightly. "I'm not your wife...but you've got me."

He kissed her fiercely on the mouth before continuing, his darker side demanding the contact...and he was becoming too weak to resist these urges...

"A fact that pleases me greatly," he whispered against her lips, stroking her long, dark hair. _So soft...so smooth..._ "Meskhenet...when you gave me the tea...on my planet, for a woman to give an unbonded male sustenance of any kind, food, water, tea...is to offer herself to him as a mate...as a wife."

Her eyes widened, and her plump lips parted in shock. "I didn't know...I mean, I-"

He pressed a light finger to her lips. "I did not expect you to know. But nevertheless...although I tried to put the thought of you as my wife out of my mind...the appeal of such a notion as been growing on me ever since...and now...you have engulfed me, Meskhenet..."

She opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. She stared at him speechless, her eyes filling up with affection and (he didn't dare believe it) love, and soon his lips were captured by hers. She gave him a long, luxurious, yet desperate kiss, but finally pulled away, her eyes closed.

"I have no words to respond to that...I can't express it in words, but that kiss did the talking for me..."

"There is more you should know," he croaked, his mind still lingering on the wonderful feeling of her lips pressed to his. "When the other woman came into my office, and I gave you the water..."

"Were you offering something more than water?" she asked astutely. He nodded.

"Had you been Vulcan, to accept that water would be to accept my proposal to be your mate. But you are not Vulcan...nonetheless, the sentiment from my end was genuine...I wish to be yours, for you to be mine...I cannot be more honest than that."

She was quiet for a long time, her eyes searching his face, her thumb caressing the back of his hand. "L'Vek, this is very new to me...I'm not very good at the relationship thing, and I need time to take all this in...but I want you to know that I appreciate your honesty, and that I care..._so much _for you...I only want what's best for you...even if that person isn't me."

He stared at her, worried that she was rejecting him, but she continued, and he forced himself to breathe.

"I'm not rejecting you, I'm saying that I want whatever's best for you. And for all we know...I could be that one for you...and I like the thought of that, L'Vek. I _really _like that thought of that."

Hope crested in his heart once more before he suppressed it, but he could not ignore the dark side of himself extending its tendrils further into his being, hooking itself into more of his synapses...he could almost feel himself fall a notch deeper into the fever just from that admission...

"Oh, L'Vek..." she whispered, kissing his lips with fervor, causing him to breathe in sharply through his nose, "every day, I'm falling harder and harder over you..."

It took his brain a long moment to search through his knowledge of human expressions and come up with her meaning. "Meskhenet..." he murmured, stroking her rounded ear and relishing her exotic presence, her alien nature...

Her eyes flashed wickedly. "What sweet torment you bring me, _habibi_...like some devil sent to plague me...but I like his company."

He breathed in slowly, then gripped her wrists and tugged her forward. He then dove for her neck and lavished his tongue upon it, slowly caressing her, kissing her, nipping at her creamy flesh.

"A devil, am I?" he growled, wrapping his arms around her, surrounding her, trapping her in his embrace.

She gasped as he bit her a little harder, leaving a red mark on her skin. "Mr. Adviser, you are a _tease_!"

He licked up her throat. "Vulcans do not tease, _ashal-veh_...we torment, as you have so eloquently stated."

He swallowed her laugh and did not release her from his kiss until he heard the doorbell ring, signaling Kuvak and Tawny's return.

…

Kuvak closed the door quietly behind him and followed Tawny down the steps to the street. The neighborhood was pleasantly quiet, and it was a bit of a walk to get to the main street. They fell in step together as they walked side by side, and Kuvak finally broke the silence.

"Your friend seems fond of my cousin."

Tawny smiled, and his gaze softened at the sight. "C-can you k-keep a secret?"

He tilted his head. "Of course. What is the secret?"

"Emmie is...i-in love with your cousin," she whispered. "She has been s-since the m-moment they met. S-she says...he's the best man...she's e-ever known."

_L'Vek would be very pleased to hear that_, he thought to himself."If I tell him...would that upset you?"

She grinned, a conspiratorial gleam in her eye. "If i-it gets them t-together...no."

Kuvak offered her a small smile, and they walked on in contented silence, the bond of a shared secret lingering between them.

He spoke again. "Did Ms. Sadir tell you how she and L'Vek met?"

"Y-yes...don't you know i-it?"

"No, please enlighten me."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then let out a puff of air, almost in irritation. She stopped, dug in her handbag, and pulled out a small PADD. She sat on a stoop nearby and began typing, and Kuvak watched, afraid he had upset her. But she handed him the PADD a few minutes later, and he read silently to himself. She slumped her shoulders as he read, and he sat down beside her, still worried that he had upset her.

"Have I done something to offend you?"

She shook her head. "No," she whispered. "My mouth s-sucks at its j-job, that's all." Her voice was bitter, but he continued reading her note. One sentence in particular stood out to him.

" 'She said being held in the arms of a Vulcan man was the most wonderful embrace one could ask for'," he quoted, looking sidelong at her. He swallowed thickly at his thoughts, then decided to forge ahead. "Would you like to...verify that claim, Ms. Townsend?"

He stood as she looked over at him with a bemused expression on her face, and he offered her his hand. She took it, her touch light and wary, and he gently pulled her to her feet. He pulled her a little closer, and he looked around and discovered they were alone. He had received no protest from her, so he pulled her even closer, wrapping his arms carefully around her and staring down at her with the kindest expression he could muster.

She stared up at him, her beautiful wintergreen eyes wide with awe, and she lightly placed a hand on his chest. He blinked slowly at the sensation of her warm hand touching him...it was as if sparks were racing over his spine...

"Well?" he breathed after several beats of silence. She smelled wonderful, and he breathed in her scent with relish, involuntarily memorizing the aroma, compartmentalizing it for later study and identification. And the feel of her slender body in his arms...he held her closer by a millimeter, but he was sure to be gentle, as she felt so fragile...yet so nice...

It took her a minute to answer him. "Yeah?" she whispered absentmindedly, her eyes fixed on his...those wintergreen eyes were growing cloudy...he would have to look that up as well...

"Your thoughts?" he said softly, letting his grip slacken. He could hear voices coming around the corner, and he was forced to let her go...though the dark voice inside his head was whispering for him to ignore propriety and explore these new sensations..._explore them to their fullest, Kuvak_, it whispered. _Explore her_...

He shook his head of such thoughts and watched her fold her arms across her chest, as if she were suddenly cold. It was a bit cool out today.

"Are you cold, Ms. Townsend?"

She shook her head. "N-no, no...I-I'm ok..."

"Have I made you uncomfortable?" Perhaps he had overstepped the boundaries of propriety for both their species...the thought made him feel slightly ill.

"No," she breathed, relieving his worry. "T-that w-was...I-I c-can't d-des...d-describe it..." She swallowed and looked away, and he felt a wave of her frustration and self-loathing wash over him. It pained him to feel it, and he lightly touched her shoulder.

"Ms. Townsend?"

She looked up at him, her eyes glittering with unshed tears, but she blinked them away and smiled at the ground. "I-I'm f-fine...r-really...th-thank you...f-for the hug...Emmie was right..."

He couldn't believe his own audacity when he reached out and lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her eyes went wide, and he could see tears forming in her eyes as he gazed down at her.

"_Do not ever be ashamed of yourself, Tawny Townsend_," he said softly in Vulcan. What he wanted to say would be hard for him to translate to English; he only knew so much of the language. "_And it __pleases me that you find my embrace to be so satisfactory. I confess, never have I met a woman like you...so unsure of herself...so frightened of her own potential...never be frightened. I do not wish you to be frightened of anything, not yourself or your perceived flaws...nor me, for that matter...because, Tawny Townsend, lovely Tawny Townsend...you are beautiful._"

Her plump pink lips parted, and with his fingers in direct contact with her skin, he could feel her awe flowing from her...awe, fear, excitement, confusion, a myriad of conflicting emotions...and yet he found it fascinating.

With his fingers on her skin, he knew that he was imparting the truth of his words to her...she would know that he was sincere, that those were the truest words he had ever spoken to a woman in his life...

He pulled away his fingers when he heard her stomach growling, and gestured down the street in the direction they had been walking. "I'm sure you're hungry...shall we?"

She blushed and nodded, then walked with him to a Chinese restaurant, her hands crossed firmly across her chest. Yet (it could have been his overeager imagination), he thought he saw her gaze linger surreptitiously on him as they headed for the establishment.

…

"And th-then he st-started speaking t-to me in V-Vulcan...he had his f-fingers on my f-face...I-I swear, Emmie...I-I could feel...s-something from him...b-but I-I'm not s-sure what it was..."

Emmie smiled and tugged Tawny closer. They were lying beside each other in bed, having a girl talk. It had been a long day, but Emmie felt like she needed to talk to someone about what her...Vulcan had said to her. So she had asked Tawny to spend the night when L'Vek and Kuvak went back to the Consulate. "L'Vek's done that to me...I think this Vulcan is interested in you, Tawny."

Her cheeks turned bright pink, and Emmie grinned. "N-no, Emmie, he...c-can't...c-couldn't be..."

"Vulcans don't touch very often, sweetheart. And when they do...it's very special. And you're telling me he not only touched your face, but _asked _you for a hug? Honey...even I can tell he's got the hots for you."

Tawny sighed. "I just don't s-see...how that's p-possible...b-besides...he w-won't be on Earth m-much longer...m-might as w-well forget him..."

Emmie turned her head and frowned at her. "Come on, Tawny, think positive. I really don't think you've seen the last of Kuvak, and if you want...I can ask L'Vek about him...maybe L'Vek is seeing what I'm seeing."

Tawny smiled shyly and rested her head against Emmie's shoulder. "You're s-such a good friend to m-me...I-I'm glad I-I have you."

Emmie smiled. "And I am glad you have you, sweetheart."

…

"Ms. Townsend confided in me that Ms. Sadir is in love with you, cousin." They were drinking tea together in L'Vek's quarters, discussing the day and L'Vek's chances with Meskhenet. "She said Ms. Sadir has been in love with you since you two met. And I must admit, I find the story of how you two met absolutely enthralling."

L'Vek caught his meaning and narrowed his eyes slightly, though he was by no means affronted. He knew Kuvak was teasing him. "Ms. Sadir was in danger of falling down the stairs. I used my superior reflexes to save her."

"Do you know why she fell down the stairs?"

L'Vek frowned. "She claimed she was clumsy. Though I know that is not true. She is very graceful."

Kuvak's eyes were shining with mischief. "According to Ms. Townsend, Ms. Sadir was not paying attention to where she was going...she was distracted by your eyes, and missed a step."

That statement both pleased and worried L'Vek, but Kuvak was not done. "Be careful how you use your gaze, L'Vek, lest more human women fall down flights of stairs," he said, the slightest hint of mischief and amusement in his voice.

L'Vek raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his tea. "It is agreeable to have you here, cousin...however, I must confess, I never thought you would take to the native population so well."

The tips of Kuvak's ears turned slightly green, and he turned away, sipping his tea. "She would never want someone like me."

"Are you so sure? She seemed quite absorbed by your presence."

Kuvak shook his head. "I highly doubt that...though...I have never met a woman like her...so uncertain...so..." He trailed off, and L'Vek could feel the sides of his mouth twitching upward, longing to smile.

"I believe Ms. Townsend was quite taken with you."

Kuvak sighed and took another drink of his tea. "And I believe you are mistaken. No, L'Vek...an old man like me has no chance with a young woman like her. She has her entire life to look forward to...I have...who knows how long..."

"Who knows how long any of us have? I may die tomorrow from an accident...though the odds are practically non-existant, there are no accounting for all the variables in the universe. No mind could calculate them."

His elder cousin frowned. "What is your point?"

"You are 162 years old, correct?"

Kuvak nodded. "Would a woman her age want a 162-year-old man?"

L'Vek sighed. "There may be cultural rifts to overcome, but consider...their lifespan often does not surpass one hundred. You both have about the same number of years left, provided you both stay healthy and do not die of other causes. You would age together."

Kuvak was quiet for a moment. "That does not change the fact that we are worlds apart...and that I do not even know if she would even be inclined to _consider _the thought of me as..."

He trailed off, and L'Vek sighed. "With an attitude like that, cousin, you are certain to fail. I was decisive today, and my reward was well worth the risk. Kuvak," L'Vek could not help but let the tiniest smile on his lips, "she said she is growing more attached to me day by day...she said the thought of being my wife appealed to her."

Kuvak's lips twitched upward. "What should I tell T'Mil?"

"That I have made my choice and am pursuing her. And I do not wish any more of her choices. I am over one hundred, and am old enough to make my own decisions."

His cousin nodded. "I hope you are successful, cousin, because T'Mil will most likely dismiss that answer. She believes you are too deep in fever to think rationally."

"What do you think?"

Kuvak paused. "That you are pursuing the woman who makes you content. There is no shame in that. Clan duty should not exclude finding a worthy and suitable life partner."

L'Vek nearly smiled. "I appreciate your words, Kuvak...Meskhenet invited me to observe the dance class she instructs tomorrow evening. If you plan to stay a few days longer, you could accompany me. I believe she mentioned that Ms. Townsend would be there, because her brother is also an instructor."

Kuvak's eyes twinkled. "I would be pleased to accompany you, cousin."

_**A/N: Don't be lulled into a false sense of security, dear reader. There are still monsters hiding under the bed. Kuvak, I want an explanation for your behavior. Now. :D**_


	10. A Dance, A Date

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and L'Vek and Kuvak), 09sasha, jackiemack916, Caren Rose and the anon reviewer for your reviews! What a wonderful group of reviewers! You're all wonderfully splendid!**_

"Emmie Sadir."

She turned and raised her eyebrows at the man standing in the doorway of the break room. He had cropped brown hair streaked with silver and a gray beard prickling his chin. He was tall, taller than her, and his blue-green eyes twinkled in interest as they wandered over her body. The man was muscular and trim, dressed in the uniform of a test pilot. She recognized him as one of the commanders in the warp 2 program.

But his stare was somewhat disturbing as it wandered over her body. The phrase "undressing her with his eyes" came to mind, and she raised her coffee cup to her lips.

"John Gardner. How may I help you?"

He smiled slightly and walked further into the room, slowly approaching her and leaning against the counter next to her. "I just...wanted to talk. I never really come through this department, but I've heard some...strange rumors about you. Just wanted to set the record straight."

"Rumors?" she repeated incredulously. "And what might those be?"

His smile widened and he laughed slightly, looking down at the floor. "I heard it through the grapevine that one of the Vulcans has been hanging around you."

"Yeah," she said, nonplussed. "He and I are doing a cultural exchange."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Commodore Forrest was the one who came up with the idea. I just volunteered to help out."

He laughed again. "Ok, ok...but I've heard he hangs around you more than someone should for a cultural exchange. Is he...bothering you?"

It was her turn to frown. "Not really, no. He's a nice guy."

He raised his eyebrows. "I wouldn't describe the Vulcans as...nice."

Her frown deepened. "So how would you describe them?"

He shrugged and laughed. "I think I'll keep my opinion to myself. If he _is _bothering you, though...I could tell him off. Set him straight, you know? A beautiful woman like you shouldn't have to worry about some Vulcan harassing you."

She laughed mirthlessly. "Ok, Gardner, I've dealt with harassment, and what the adviser is doing certainly doesn't qualify in my opinion."

"Carter," Gardner growled, his eyes growing dark in displeasure. "Did the police ever find that bastard?"

She frowned. "How do you know about that?"

He sighed. "I've got friends in this department. Word gets around. Besides...I always thought Carter would come to no good. Dirty creep...he didn't hurt you, did he?"

She smiled, but it was insincere. "I'm fine, thank you. Have you, as you said, set the record straight?"

His smile dissipated and his eyes narrowed. "What do you see in the Vulcan?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"So you _willingly _spend time with him? That must be _riveting _conversation."

"It is," she countered, a chill coming over their exchange. "There's so much they don't know about us, and so much to learn about them. There's really never a dull moment."

He nodded and backed away from her. "That's what I thought. Pity...I would think a beautiful girl like you deserves better than him, but...if you're happy with him..."

"What are you talking about?" she asked blandly. She could tell now that Gardner had come to root for information, but she wasn't about to let him have any.

"None of your business, Ms. Sadir."

She watched him go, then frowned in confusion. Gardner gave her the creeps, in a darker, more sinister way than Carter ever did. But she took comfort in the fact that if he ever revealed himself as someone untrustworthy...she had a Vulcan boyfriend who would take care of that problem in a heartbeat.

…

L'Vek sat down next to Kuvak and raised his eyebrows in interest as Emmie went to the front of the dance studio (on the left wall, which was paneled with mirrors) and glanced over a PADD. More students were trickling in, some laughing and talking, some reading PADDs, some staring in confusion at the pair of Vulcans observing the class. When all the chairs in the back of the studio were filled, Emmie stood and called roll.

While his intended was occupied with that, L'Vek glanced around the studio. It was well-lit with sun from several skylights, and the light caramel wooden floor and white walls made the room look more spacious than it was. It was a relaxing environment, and he had the thought that this place would be very agreeable as a meditation spot when empty. On the opposite wall from the entrance were several doors, perhaps leading to changing rooms and offices.

Once roll was done, Emmie called her students' attention to him and Kuvak. "We have guests today. Ignore them, they're just here for cultural enlightenment."

Several students looked back over their shoulders at them, but then they headed for two doors on the opposite wall. The ladies went to the leftmost door and the men to the door furthest to the right. There were four doors in between the two.

Emmie smiled at him, then walked up to Tawny, who had not moved. She whispered something to her, and the blonde blushed furiously.

"Come on, Tawny, Brad bailed out to be with Armando. I need a partner."

L'Vek stood and walked over to her. "Partner for what?"

"Tango," she said with a raised eyebrow. "Don't tell me you can dance it."

He shook his head, and she turned back to Tawny. "Please, baby...Brad's out, Judith is visiting her mom in Chicago. I don't want to lecture or cancel class. I _need _a demonstration."

L'Vek also turned to Tawny, then glanced back at Kuvak. "Ms. Townsend...I believe my cousin would be...enthralled to watch you dance with Ms. Sadir," he said in a low tone, and Tawny blushed harder, but she smiled.

"O-ok. I-it's been a while, s-so d-don't ex..e-expect any f-finesse or an...a-anything."

"Well, get up and practice real quick with me while the class is changing."

L'Vek sat back down next to his cousin, and Kuvak frowned at him. "What did you tell Ms. Townsend?"

"That Meskhenet was in need of a partner, and that it would be _logical _for her to help her friend," L'Vek lied, and Kuvak nodded.

Emmie and Tawny talked in soft tones on the other side of the studio, and every once and a while Emmie would touch her friend or spin her. The students filed back in, dressed in loose-fitting clothes, and his intended kept Tawny at the front of the room.

She said nothing, not even when all the students had returned, and when everyone was seated, she turned to her PADD and tapped a few buttons, then set it on her high stool. Violin music filled the room, backed by a driving beat, and L'Vek raised his eyebrows as Meskhenet began to...stalk her friend. They circled each other, and then Emmie pounced forward and spun Tawny, then pulled her back into a tight embrace.

He could not tear his eyes away as the two danced around each other, their feet stepping where another's was only a second before. They would part and come together again, and their embraces and touches were...sensual. It was odd to watch two women dance like that, but as he pondered it (and watched more intently as the dance quickened), he thought to himself that he did not want to see Emmie look at a man with that expression in her eyes: her gray irises were shining with excitement and mischief, and the thought of her looking at _him_ like that made him feel...hot.

He glanced sidelong at Kuvak, whose eyes were wide, his lips parted slightly. He was frowning at the dance, but L'Vek could not help but notice that his cousin's breathing had quickened with the music. He followed the minister's gaze and found Ms. Townsend just as Emmie came behind her and threw her arms around her shoulders and waist, then walked her backward across the floor. Tawny's gaze when Meskhenet had initiated that embrace strayed to Kuvak, and the blonde woman's wintergreen eyes had turned dark.

"_She seems quite enthralled with you...and you with her...is there something you are not telling me, Kuvak?_" he murmured in Vulcan.

Kuvak blinked slowly and glanced at L'Vek. "_This dance is strange,_" he whispered. "_That is all._"

"Indeed," L'Vek said, smirking slightly as he turned his attention back to the dance. The music rose to a thundering crescendo, and Emmie spun and stepped and twirled with Tawny until his intended finally dipped the blonde nearly to the floor on the last resounding beat. The two dancers remained frozen for a second, and the students burst into applause. Kuvak clapped along, but L'Vek was too busy staring at Emmie to worry about clapping.

"Tango," she said simply after she straightened and released her partner. "Sensual, seductive...and probably the most intricate and difficult of the ballroom dances. You all know the drill, pair off and let's get started..."

The rest of the dance lesson was a blur to L'Vek. He could not get the sight of Emmie dancing like that out of his head, and he was overcome with the sudden urge to learn that dance...what he wouldn't give to hold her like that...bury his nose in her hair and stroke his hands down her naked form...

He shook his head of his thoughts when the dance class ended and the students left, leaving only the four of them. Emmie packed up her things and locked her office, then locked the studio when everyone was out, as this was the last class of the day.

"You guys hungry?" Emmie asked, and L'Vek raised his eyebrows. Kuvak and Tawny said they were all right, but L'Vek truly was hungry and was looking forward to dining with his intended.

"Cousin, why don't you take Ms. Townsend home, and Ms. Sadir and I will go eat. I will be back at the Consulate in..." He turned to Emmie, uncertain.

"Why don't I fix you dinner?" she suggested, and the notion appealed to him. "So...two, three hours, maybe?"

L'Vek nodded and exchanged a meaningful glance with Kuvak, who was looking mischievous. Tawny's gaze was shifting rapidly between him and Emmie, as if she couldn't believe her ears and wasn't sure if being alone with Kuvak was a good thing. But his cousin gave the blonde a reassuring look, and she relaxed a fraction. L'Vek suspected that this Tawny was quite attracted to his cousin, but he would need Emmie's opinion on the matter. She, after all, was Tawny's friend and knew her better than he.

"I would be honored to dine with you, Meskhenet," L'Vek said softly to his intended. Tawny bit her lip, and her gaze softened, and she smiled at Emmie, who winked back. Kuvak contacted two flitters on his PADD, and once the vehicles arrived, the two pairs parted ways.

…

Kuvak relaxed into his seat and glanced over at the woman who had captured his attention. The sight of her dancing so sensuously was still imprinted in his mind, and he replayed it over and over again in his head. He wanted to tell her so much...he wanted to know if he had any chance with her...and he remembered her dark eyes, how she had looked at him right as Emmie had given her that intimate embrace...as if she desired _him _to be the one embracing her that way...

_That is pure speculation_, he thought to himself, and he cleared his throat.

"Ms. Townsend, where did you learn that dance?"

She looked rather terrified, and their conversation from the day before came back to him. "Did Ms. Sadir teach you? If it makes you more comfortable...you could write down a response. If you feel that would be quicker..."

She looked relieved at the suggestion and immediately started typing away on her small PADD, her brows furrowed in concentration. She handed it to him.

_Yes, Emmie taught me. We roomed together back in college when we both went to Berkeley, and she was getting her second degree in Dance with a license to teach while I was getting my degree in Creative Writing. Anyway, she and I were roommates, and she had to take practical exams all the time, and decided to get a head start on teaching by teaching me all her dances and using me as a partner. It was fun._

"Creative Writing?" he murmured, turning to her and handing her back the PADD. She cleared it. "Are you a writer then? What sort of things do you write?"

She lowered her eyes and typed a response.

_Well...actually, I like writing poetry...and I'd like to convert some of them to songs. I'm thinking about going back to school for a Music degree._

He raised his eyebrows and smiled slightly. "You aspire to be a musician one day? One who writes her own songs?"

She nodded and took back the PADD, and he stared deeply into her eyes. "What sort of things do you write about?"

She blushed. "I-I'd rather not say..."

He nodded. "That is acceptable. Though I have been wondering since I arrived...I have never been to this planet before, and I am curious...I have read about your precipitation and its different forms, and I have never seen Earth snow. What is it like?"

She paused, staring at him with a spark in her wintergreen eyes, and he watched as she typed something into her PADD and waited. The thing vibrated slightly, and Tawny's eyes flicked back and forth, then she smiled.

"H-how long are you staying h-here?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I am not necessarily needed back on Vulcan for another two weeks, if I contact my work and tell them there will be a delay."

She frowned. "I-I don't want t-to keep you f-from y-your j-job."

"It's nothing, I assure you. I have plenty of time to spend on this planet. May I ask..." He wasn't sure how to phrase his words. He wasn't entirely fluent in English, and there were some things he did not know how to say. He shook his head at her and sighed, but she tapped the PADD and handed it to him, and he read it with interest.

"Bear Mountain Ski Resort?" he said out loud, looking sidelong at her. "There is snow there?"

She nodded and smiled, and the taxi flitter slowed to a stop. He quickly drew his PADD from his robes and transferred the information, ready to discuss it with L'Vek when he returned to the Consulate.

"It was a pleasure, Ms. Townsend," he said softly, gazing into her eyes as he handed the PADD back to her. He could not say all he wanted, could not spill the growing admiration he harbored for her, could not share the growing suspicion that she was the one he wanted.

She nodded enthusiastically. "A pl-pleasure...s-sir."

"My name is Kuvak," he said gently, smiling ever so slightly at her. He got out and held the door open for her, then gently took her hand to help her out. He held her hand a little longer than was necessary, dropping his guard just a little, letting her have a taste of what he was experiencing in that moment.

Again, he thought he might have crossed the line when she gasped, but she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, then pulled away, blushing furiously, but he looked down at her with a kind gaze, an eager gaze...

Her lips against his cheek had been soft and cool, and he could still feel her breath whispering against his skin. He was tempted to close his eyes...he was tempted to kiss her back, on the lips...but he settled for lifting her chin again as she stared shyly at the ground.

"_I cannot tell you how...wonderful that was, Tawny Townsend._" He switched to English. "I hope to see you again...very soon."

She blushed harder, bowing her head in acknowledgment and murmuring a goodbye that did not escape his hearing. She ran to her door, but before she slipped in, she looked back at him and smiled shyly, still blushing slightly. Then Tawny did the oddest thing. She touched her fingers to her lips, then waved at him, but then he was staring at the black wood of her door.

Whatever that was, he would find out. He had a hunch that what she had done was special and meaningful, and he would not allow her meaning to be lost because he was from a different planet. He would find out, and then he would see. Perhaps it was a further clue into how she felt about him.

He returned to the flitter and directed the driver to the Consulate.

…

Meskhenet smiled as L'Vek took off his robes and cast them aside on her couch. She had prepared a light meal for dinner (vegetarian, just for him), and afterward, she got to work on cinnamon rolls. Using a recipe Tawny's foster mother had passed on to her, Emmie made the dough and started on the icing to rest her arms, and L'Vek had decided he would help her. He rolled up his sleeves and asked for a task, and she set him off rolling out the dough.

"Cooking is...not something I'm used to," he admitted, but she smiled regardless, "but I am willing to help, if you give me the proper instructions."

Her grin widened and she kissed his nose. "It's not hard at all, just listen to teacher," she purred in his ear, then dusted a rolling pin and the countertop with flour and handed him the rolling pin. "Don't use all your strength. Food does not appreciate violence. Nice, even strokes and gentle pressure, ok?"

He nodded and got to work, and she continued her work on the icing. Every once and a while as they worked side by side, she would bend her knee and playfully kick his leg. He frowned at her until he realized it was a game (as evidenced by the fact that she was giggling like a giddy schoolgirl), and he nudged her back and nuzzled his nose into her hair.

"I wouldn't suggest teasing me," he growled softly, "lest you want to end this cooking session early."

She caught his meaning and laughed, then kissed him quickly on the lips. "No, I am _determined _to see you eat this, and I will see it done. So you, Mr. Adviser, will have to wait for that," she teased.

They went back to their work, but when she glanced over to see if he was done rolling out the dough, she paused and watched him. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his strong, muscular arms, and she watched in fascination as his muscles flexed slightly as he rolled the rolling pin over the sticky dough. He deftly kept an even pressure with each stroke as she had instructed, but watching him like this...instead of the ornate robes, he was dressed in a kind of suit, dark blue and cut to fit his strong figure perfectly. And with his outer robes off, she could see more of his body, perfectly accented with his suit, and the desire to take off that suit and discover the strong body beneath was tickling the back of her brain.

But instead, she sidled up to him and ran her hand over his arms and kissed the tip of his ear. "You certainly keep yourself in good shape," she cooed in his ear. "Why do I keep finding more things to like about you?"

He turned to her and captured her lips in an almost bruising kiss. "Because you give me reason to be the best man I can be..." She saw something flash in his eyes. "I want to give you good reason to seriously consider me as a potential partner."

She could feel herself flushing slightly at his pure honesty, and he leaned her gently against the counter and blocked her in, and she breathed in sharply as she felt her nether regions begin to throb. They throbbed harder when his teeth nipped playfully at her neck, and she moaned, the apex of her thighs rejoicing, pooling with moisture, pooling with heat...

"L'Vek," she breathed as he licked her flesh. "We've got a job to do."

"My job is to please you," he purred, nipping at her neck again. "And I intend to do it."

"Try these rolls first, and then..." She winked at him, giving him a promise of something good to come. His eyes were dark, but he pulled away, and they continued their assembly of Emmie's dessert.

…

She was lying in his lap as they waited for the rolls to bake, and he stroked her hair down her head to the beginning of her tightly knit braid. He wanted to unravel it and run his hands through her unbound hair, but it was not his place to try something like that at the moment. She wanted him to wait, to try her cooking, and then she might grace him with..._something_, he thought vaguely. He did not want to push her, because that would ultimately push her away from him. He had to be gentle...he had be patient. However, the fevered part of his brain (taking over new synapses every day) was quite enamored with this lovely Egyptian's eagerness.

He banished the thought, controlling his impulses, but suddenly he felt a little light-headed. The feel of her hair was soft and smooth and warm...he could smell her scent rising from her skin, swirling in his nose..._intoxicating_...he purred to himself and stroked two fingers down her cheek, closing his eyes as she moaned in appreciation.

His nostrils flared as the source of this sudden sensuality reached him. He was breathing in an intoxicating scent that was not Meskhenet. It was coming from the oven...it swirled around in his nose, clogging his judgment...tugging at the zipper in his pants. Indeed, the scent was highly arousing, and he stared down at his beloved lounging in his lap, amazed that she was here, so willing, so eager, so _beautiful_...and not just physically. Her unique perspective, her ability to answer his questions and make him think differently...

He shook his head as if drowsing off, and she sat up, frowning at him. "Something wrong, _habibi_?"

L'Vek leaned forward and captured her lips in a slow, sensuous kiss before responding. "No, not at all," he purred. "That scent, though..." He breathed in it and pressed her down until she was lying on the couch. She stared up at him with confusion until he kissed her again. "_That scent..._"

He looked up again, his nostrils flaring once more, then he dove for his beloved's hair and buried his nose into it. "You smell wonderful, _ashaya_," he breathed, feathering kisses along her hairline.

She giggled and shoved him off her, then leaned forward and kissed his ear. "You, sir, are jumping the gun." The timer went off with a _ping_, and she stood and offered him her hand, which he took. "Have a cinnamon roll first, and then," she looked him in the eye and winked, "I'll make _you _feel wonderful."

She turned to leave, but he grabbed her and held her to his chest. "I look forward to that," he whispered against her lips.

Her eyes flashed in amusement. "You're certainly in a good mood today! And to think, only a few months ago you didn't want anything to do with me." She pulled the rolls from the oven, and L'Vek closed his eyes as the scent of them washed over him. He felt...intoxicated almost, drunk with arousal. He steadied himself on the countertop as she put the hot rolls on the stovetop to cool, and he glanced down at his hand. He had inadvertently touched the bowl of icing, and some was stuck to his finger. He chided himself, determined to not break Surak's rules regarding touching food (he could have licked it off, but that would be improper), and he glanced at Meskhenet.

"_Ashaya_, do you have a towel?" He held up his fingers, and she frowned at them. But then her eyes flashed with mischief, and she grabbed his wrist and wrapped her lips around his finger.

He gasped, his eyes sliding shut, and the pulsating pleasure straining at his pants zipper was even more profound. He felt uncomfortable and pleasured at the same time, and a moan slipped past his parted lips. Her tongue swirled around his finger, licking up all the icing, and her gray eyes found his, her eyes bright with mischief and (did he really see it there?) lust.

Her beautiful lips slid off of his finger. "Sensitive, aren't they?" she murmured, kissing his fingertip. "Isn't that what you told me?"

"Yes," he breathed. He lowered his hand, fearful that if she continued that she would be completely his by the end of the night. He would take her on the kitchen floor if he had to... "And if you do it again, you had best be ready to be completely mine."

Her eyes widened for a moment, and he stepped closer until she could feel him pressed against her thigh. She looked up at him, her darkening eyes twinkling, burning in arousal, and she glanced down at his neck and traced it with her finger.

"Don't talk like that, love," she whispered. "I might let you."

He could see it in her eyes. She wanted to be certain of herself and her feelings, and of his worth, before turning herself over to him. That was respectable and what she should be doing, and he stepped away, giving her space. The rolls cooled fast, and she picked one up, tore off a piece, and fed it to him. He had no complaints about this. Her eagerness and flirtatiousness were making his impulses hard to control (and was the aroma permeating the kitchen), but he held on most of the night, only teasing her neck with the promise of biting her one day and keeping his other physical affections to kisses above her collarbone.

When he left her that evening, she pressed a container of cinnamon rolls on him for him to take back to the Consulate.

"For you," she purred, "and you alone. Enjoy them, and think of me."

"I always do," he whispered back, leaving her with a burning kiss and his two fingers wrapped around hers. "This is how Vulcans kiss," he explained at her bemused expression. She smiled at that and squeezed his fingers slightly, and he felt a jolt of electricity run through him as she gasped.

"Don't do that too often," she purred in his ear, opening the door for him. "You may find yourself without a shirt. Or pants."

Her eyes were dark and the smell of the rolls was still wafting from the kitchen, but he gave her one last kiss and bid her goodnight, thanking her for the food.

The night didn't seem so cold as he walked back to the Consulate.


	11. Snow Day

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and Kuvak and L'Vek), Caren Rose (you're welcome! Thanks for reviewing), maba7x, and the anon reviewer for reviewing! You are all...*gets out thesaurus*...sensational! **_

_**A/N: I didn't intend for it to be this way, but this chapter is very Tawny/Kuvak heavy. Sorry if that bothers you. **_

Carter wrapped the coat tighter around himself and slipped into the alleyway, checking his PADD as he walked. He was two minutes late, and he knew the commander didn't like waiting on anything. Steam was rising from the gutters, condensing in the cool air and causing chills to move down Carter's neck. It was understandable that the commander chose a seedier side of town to meet, but the griminess and horrid smell was making him a little queasy.

He walked out of the last vestiges of light coming from the streetlamp behind him, and once he was veiled in darkness and his eyes adjusted, he heard a voice come out of the darkness in front of him.

"You're late," Gardner growled. "I'm not very patient, as you well know. I would suggest you stay on my good side tonight."

"Sorry, it's hard to get places on time when you're trying to keep a low profile! There were cops on 6th and-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" the commander hissed. "As for your obsession with the woman...don't bother, she's a mudlicker."

Carter winced, but he stood up straight. "If I could see her again, talk to her, I could convert her to the cause and-"

"Don't waste your breath," Gardner interrupted with a mirthless laugh. "She won't leave her precious worm. So, since you're a worthless worm and are easily disposable, here's your assignment."

A PADD slid to his feet out of the darkness, and he saw a figure straighten. He crouched and picked up the PADD, glancing over it.

"You want me to kill her?" Carter swallowed thickly. _What a waste...she has the hottest body in San Fran..._

"Read the instructions."

He obeyed, then swallowed again; his mouth had gone dry. "How do I get back into Command? Every person in there thinks my name is mud!"

"Your name _is _mud, Carter," Gardner growled. "Leave entry and exit to me. You focus on your job. I'm sure you can get all the materials and ingredients online? You haven't been mucking around on your alternate account, have you?"

Carter stiffened. "Of course not! I'm not some pervert!"

Gardner laughed, and it was sincere this time. "Yes you are! Stalker, pervert...fail at this and you're dead meat, you worm. As for the PADD...you know the drill."

He heard receding footsteps, and he sighed, tucking the PADD into his jacket, and he walked off into the misty, chilly night.

…

Kuvak watched as Emmie tied a scarf around L'Vek's neck, moving the knot close under his chin to keep him warm from the cold. Kuvak was glad he had looked up what sort of conditions they would be facing, and had brought some appropriate attire. He looked down and zipped up his jacket over his work suit (under which was a few more layers of clothes), and he got the zipper up about halfway when a small, feminine hand stopped him.

He glanced up, and he could feel his expression soften at the sight of Tawny standing before him, holding up her scarf. He was about to protest, to insist that she stay warm, but she wrapped it around his neck and knotted it tight so it would not come off, and he looked down at the red and black checkered piece of warm fabric, then at her. She smiled, then handed him some mittens. She shoved her hands into her pockets as he reluctantly took them from her, and he realized that the mittens were also hers.

Before he could protest, she walked away and struck up a conversation with Emmie, though she did glance back at him and smile, and he felt a lurch in his gut and a strange buzzing in his ears.

_She sacrificed to keep you warm_, the beast inside his chest whispered, opening one eye and sniffing the air at Tawny's actions, _are you sure you should be letting her simply walk away?_

He shook his head of the thought and turned his attention back to Emmie and L'Vek. The former was putting a hat on his cousin's head, and the Egyptian woman sighed.

"It's a shame we have to cover those ears," she murmured. "However, it's for the best. It's cold out there, and we need you to stay warm." She winked and pulled the woolen cap down over L'Vek's ears, and he stroked two fingers down his intended's cheek, and Tawny giggled, but Emmie smiled and leaned into his cousin's touch. It was the first time Kuvak had seen how they interacted with each other, and the sight warmed his heart. Emmie was comfortable around his cousin, freely affectionate, and mindful of his needs. All good qualities to see in a mate, and Kuvak was pleased his cousin had found such a woman.

Kuvak's eyes found Tawny, who was also watching their exchange, and the blonde glanced at him, deep longing in her eyes, and sadness, and he couldn't help but wonder why she felt sad. Emmie tugged a hat over her hair (which she had pulled back into a long braid), and they were finally ready to go out.

The chill behind the door hit Kuvak like the scratching of a _sehlat's _claws along his neck and arms, but Tawny's scarf and mittens helped insulate his body against the cold. He had had the foresight to bring a hat and a heavy coat, and he was grateful for them.

Emmie and L'Vek led the way as they traipsed over the snow-covered ground towards the woods, and Kuvak observed the pure white powder beneath his boots with fascination. It yielded to his weight with a slight crunching sound, but the world around him was freezing cold, and the chill made the air clearer. He could see further than the rainy, foggy air in San Francisco, and for miles around, they were surrounded by slopes and woodland.

He glanced up at the steel-gray sky with uncertainty, but he let his gaze fall back to Earth when he heard Tawny's voice close at hand.

"I-It's probably going to sn-snow soon. P-Perhaps within an hour," she murmured, and he felt his lips part slightly as he gazed at her. Curling and waving out from under the brim of her hat were long locks of golden hair, reaching down to the top of her shoulder blades. A puff of steam rose from his mouth as he imagined twining his fingers through those locks, but he turned his attention to the path.

"It is aesthetically pleasing," he breathed, gazing out over the landscape of muted colors and barren shapes. Winter gripped the land here, hushing the world, casting the abundant life in the area into a deep sleep, or so his studies of the temperate and tundra regions of Earth told him.

Kuvak noticed that Emmie and L'Vek were deep in conversation, their tones hushed, and Emmie giggled. She glanced back at them, and then the two of them quickened their pace, headed for the treeline.

Tawny stopped and watched, frowning, and her eyes suddenly flooded with comprehension. Kuvak saw Emmie crouching at the treeline, and she scooped some snow in her hand and formed it into a ball. Apparently Tawny saw it as well, and thus grabbed his hand and took off running with him away from Emmie's attack. Kuvak felt something whiz past his ear, and he saw a ball of snow splatter onto the ground in front of them.

His heart was racing by the time they skidded to a stop at the treeline, and he noticed Tawny had not let go of his hand. He wandered about this until she turned around and pressed a finger to her lips, the human signal for silence.

She bent down, her eyes focused on Emmie's last known position, and Kuvak listened as well, understanding that this was some sort of combat game. He had not had to do anything of this sort before, and he added yet another novel experience to his list of things he had done since coming to this planet and meeting Emmie and Tawny.

As silent as a _sehlat _on the prowl, Tawny began to move deeper into the woods, and Kuvak assumed she would try to circle around and flank Emmie and L'Vek. He assumed those two were working together, and it only made sense that he and Tawny become a team. She led him still deeper until they were into a patch of bushes and underbrush, and she stopped there.

"I-I'm going to circle around...and f-find out where they are...st-stay here..."

He watched her go, but he could hardly hear her. Within thirty seconds, she was out of his sight, and as silence descended again in the cold, snow-muted woods, he realized he could hear Emmie's laughter in the distance, and it seemed Tawny's job was going to be easier than he thought, especially with her apparent skill at moving quickly and quietly. He settled down into the bushes, deciding to trust her, and a strange dichotomy of the calm of the woods in winter and the excitement of knowing that L'Vek and Emmie could attack at any moment settled over him. Maybe Emmie was just a distraction, and L'Vek was creeping around, doing the same as Tawny, and if so, he had best be armed.

He remembered Emmie's actions and gathered some snow, packing it tightly into a ball. Deciding that wasn't enough, he continued making them until he had a sizable pile ready to deploy if necessary. He was so absorbed in his work that he forgot momentarily about Tawny and her mission, and he didn't realize someone was watching him.

…

Tawny moved quickly and quietly through the woods the way she had taught herself when she was younger. There was a five-mile spread of trees outside her first foster home, and she often sneaked out her window during the day and headed for the treeline. She had spent countless hours in those woods, learning its secrets, using it as a fortress against the things that waited for her back at "home". She had learned all on her own how to move quickly and quietly, thinking it a good skill should she need to hide from something (or someone). Using those skills, she quickly moved from tree to tree, stepping lightly, going slowly but steadily, not letting haste give away her advantage. Another lesson she had learned...she had been able to track deer for two hours or more, sneaking ever so quietly behind them, not to hunt them, but to learn more about them. She knew those woods inside and out, having read more about survival in temperate forest areas so she wouldn't lose her head should she get lost, and it became her sanctuary, her hiding place.

The snow muffled her approach, and she slowly crept closer. Emmie was in her sight now, as was L'Vek, and she realized they were fighting each other, having abandoned her and Kuvak in favor of playing alone. She smiled and silently retreated, the sight of Emmie laughing and L'Vek holding his position behind a boulder giving her an idea, and she backtracked as quietly as she could, going even slower this time.

Once she was near Kuvak's position, she paused and slowed her pace, not wanting him to hear her come around. L'Vek was distracted, Kuvak was not. He was waiting expectantly for her to come back and report to him, but she decided to take a different route with this game.

She crept around behind him, the gathering clouds making the world fade into dull shades of white, gray and brown, and she was grateful she had chosen to wear a white matte heavy jacket, as it blended in with the patches of white where the trees were thinner and snow had fallen on the leaf-covered ground.

Kuvak was watching where she had disappeared ten minutes ago, not knowing he was being stalked. The thought made something clench deep inside her, and she felt sudden wetness at the apex of her thighs. She paused to ponder it, but then continued on, deciding to investigate later. She had a mission, and didn't have time to wonder why she suddenly felt so good, so...

She couldn't explain it. She didn't have time to explain it to herself. She crouched down behind a bush a little ways away from him, and seeing that he still had his back to her, she began making a stash of snowballs.

Taking one in hand (her body was tensed from the adrenaline she felt), she stood up slowly, not wanting to alert him, and right as he turned around, she launched it at him, grinning as it hit him square in the chest.

"E-Emmie and L'Vek are fighting each other," she called, and his eyes flooded with comprehension. "Shall we?"

Before he could reply, she launched another snowball at him, and he dodged this one, leaping over the underbrush and taking a more defensible position behind a tree. They were on a slope and he had the upper ground, but she would not let that deter her. She had the talent to move without him knowing, but the adrenaline in her blood was making it hard to be patient. This game had taken on a new dimension, and it was sending pleasurable flames to every nerve ending in her body.

She gathered her snowballs, cradled them in her heavy jacket, and prepared to move.

…

Kuvak growled softly as he dodged her projectile and leaped behind the underbrush, and he crouched down, quickly making a few snowballs to take with him. He saw her move to the right, and he followed, keeping her in sight, and even when he lost sight of her, he was still able to track her. He knew which direction she lay, and it wasn't until he stopped and pondered that fact that he realized he was tracking her by scent.

That realization took him to a screeching halt behind a large tree, and he leaned against it and pondered it further. Indeed, the scent of her was swirling around in his nose even now, and he tilted his head, trying to find out the reason. It was spicy...more heated than her usual scent...this deduction made the beast in his chest growl, and Kuvak quirked an eyebrow, his eyes widening, and he didn't dare hope that she was...was she really aroused?

The very thought made fire prick his blood, but he took a deep breath (and subsequently closed his eyes as his nose was assaulted with another wave of her aroma) and focused on the task at hand. He crouched low, sniffing her out, and then he heard a snapping twig behind him and twirled around, straightening his stance as he turned.

She was on him before he could react, and the force of her tackle sent them both hurtling toward the ground. He automatically wrapped his arms around her and used his arms as a cradle in case she felt first, but thankfully he was the one on his back when they landed in the wet, snow-dusted leaves, and her head thudded into his chest.

He paused a moment to suppress the pain and catch his breath, and his blood was pounding in his ears. She had stalked _him_, had taken him off guard...had tackled him. He was instantaneously reminded of the behavior a male was likely to partake in when hunting down his mate in the caves...the rituals of _pon farr_...this game with her had been thrilling, but as she raised her head and looked down at him with a mixture of shame, concern and (he couldn't believe it) arousal, he knew the game had taken on an entirely different meaning. It had taken on a primal feel, and the simplicity, the beauty of how basic it was, made his blood roar to life. She was on top of him, he was under her. As she straightened herself out, her legs slipped so she was straddling him, and as she laid prone over him, he closed his eyes and breathed in. Her scent washed over him, and he tried his best to control the stirrings of passion in his blood, in his groin.

"A-Are y-you ok?" Tawny sputtered, her eyes filling with shame.

"I am uninjured. And you?"

She shook her head. "I-I'm ok..."

He sighed in relief, but a tense silence fell over them as the reality of the situation (and the countless possibilities for what he could do next) came crashing back to him. She stared down at him with longing, and he could not muster a kind expression. He could only stare at her, a growing hunger gnawing at his insides, and he was sure that was translated in his heated gaze.

Her eyes grew dark again, and he knew from borrowing L'Vek's biological texts that the dilation of her pupils most likely meant that she was aroused. That would explain the strong, spicy (_enticing_) scent that lingered on her. She seemed to be deliberating about something, and his breath hitched in his throat as she leaned down.

The ground beneath his back was hard and wet with leaves, and the air around them was frigid (he supposed he was probably flushing green by now), but he did not understand the true nature of cold until that moment when her lips touched his forehead. Her lips were chill, but the breath that she exhaled onto his skin was warm. Her light and tentative kiss seemed so cold it burned, and it was like some fiery benediction as she kissed first his forehead, then his right cheek, the end of his nose, and his right cheek. But it was something else entirely when she kissed his mouth.

Her kiss was painfully brief, but it was enough to send an electric spark to every nerve ending in his body. The beast raised its head and sniffed, begging his hands to caress her face, to pull her back down for more, but the rational side reminded him that this woman was worth waiting for, so he mustn't push. It would only push her away, and he could not bear it if he did that...

She looked embarrassed, almost mortified, and the beast, for once, saved him. _She needs reassurance. Reassure her. Tell her you enjoyed it...tell her you want more._

"Tawny," he whispered, his voice coming out in a dark and husky tone. "Tawny, that was..."

He took off his mitten, raised his hand and caressed her cheek, letting his thumb trail to her lips so he could caress them as well. They felt like frozen petals beneath the pad of his thumb, and her lips parted as he touched them. He spoke through his touch, not finding words sufficient for what he was experiencing. She closed her eyes, and her jaw dropped further still, and when he saw her eyes open a sliver, he was astounded (and aroused) to see very dark pupils hooded by her pale lids.

"Tawny," he breathed again, half-wishing her tongue would swipe across his thumb. _What a delightful sensation that would be_, he thought, and another shock of electricity shot through him at the notion.

He ripped his hand from her face and she clamored to her feet when they heard L'Vek and Emmie calling their names. He stood quickly and offered her his hand, and she took it. He hauled her to her feet and quickly brushed her off, and she returned the favor, brushing the snow and decaying plant matter from his hair and coat. He put his mitten back on and gestured toward where L'Vek and Emmie's voices were ringing out in the frozen air, and as he walked back with her to the cabin, he felt no chill.


	12. Change in the Air

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and L'Vek and Kuvak), dinopoodle, 09sasha, maba7x, Bad Modem (enjoy the lovely spread of smut I have prepared for you) and Caren Rose for reviewing! You guys are wonderful!**_

_**A/N: This chapter is rated M. You have been warned. Don't like, don't read.**_

Kuvak knocked on Tawny's door, three hard knocks, and he stepped back from the door and waited. He knew she might be getting ready to go to bed soon, but...he hadn't been able to get his mind off of her, not after that moment they had shared in the snow, the chase, the fight, the fall...her lips pressed to his, freezing yet sending fire racing through his blood...

His mind wandered to his cousin, and a soft smile graced his lips. He had seen Meskhenet slip into L'Vek's room (and she had seen him, but she had pressed her finger to her lips, asking for silence. He granted it), and he wandered if L'Vek (who, in his opinion, was moving slower than a sand worm with Meskhenet) was finally acting instead of being his usual reserved self.

Kuvak was here at Tawny's door for a reason, though, and he focused once again on his task. The feel of her kiss was still burning in his mind, and he could not get the thought of her out of his hand. So instead of dawdle like his cousin, he would take action, determine her feelings here and now, and go from there. He was betting that if Tawny accepted his proposal, he would make her his wife in less than a year. He was betting he would be bonded to her before L'Vek drew up the nerve to ask Meskhenet to accept him as her mate.

But that was only if Tawny accepted his proposal...

An uncharacteristic bout of uncertainty gripped him, but he shoved it away. Worrying over this was not going to change the outcome. He would have her answer, and he would take decisive action based on her reply. It was as simple as that...

But still, he had not had to do this in his lifetime. Before his fever fourteen years ago, his bondmate had come to him and told him she wanted to end their relationship. His money and position held no interest for her anymore, but she said that he had been a devoted husband and deserved better than to be spurned by her challenge. So he had released her. He resolved that fever with the help of the priestesses who were trained for this purpose, and in a way, he was glad he did not know the woman and would not have to see her ever again, because he could not look her in the eye after seeing the bruises, the injuries he had inflicted on her. And he had spent the next fever with a different priestess.

But this coming fever...

She opened the door, and he opened his mouth to greet her, but she walked away from him, back to the fireplace in her room.

"C-Come in...c-close the door b-behind you. D-Don't let the h-heat es-...escape."

He watched her sit down, his eyes unwillingly fixed on her thighs, which were partially exposed to his vision. She was only wearing a large jersey and nothing more, and he quirked an eyebrow as she flopped down in front of the fireplace and poured herself something from a kettle on the hearth.

He stepped forward. "May I have a word with you, Ms. Townsend?"

She twisted around and flushed furiously, but nodded after several seconds of staring at him in shock. He closed the door behind him as she asked, then carefully approached her and sat beside her, watching her drink out of a ceramic cup. He wasn't going to mince words.

"Ms. Townsend, I have...a proposal," he stated firmly, but injecting warmth into his voice. He wanted her to know that this was highly personal, that this unexplored territory had to be explored with care. "My cousin has been telling me about your...courtship rituals, and...I...would like to explore them. With you."

Her eyes widened, but she said nothing, so he continued. "Never have I met someone like you...you...enthrall me, Tawny Townsend. I...cannot express myself fluently in your tongue, but...if you would be willing..."

Kuvak trailed off, his nose detecting that heated, spicy scent from before...the aroma that had flooded his nose as she kissed him...the scent he had tracked her with...he breathed in slowly, watching a deep flush spread over her cheeks, watched tears flood her eyes, and he felt his heart clench in nervousness. Was he pushing too hard, or was there something that was holding her back?

"K-Kuvak," she breathed. His name sounded heavenly coming from her lips, even with the stutter. He found it endearing, and he had noticed he felt a surge of pride each time she managed to complete her sentences. One of the first things he would do if she accepted him would be to find her help for this speech problem.

"Oh," she moaned, leaning forward, her hand cupping his cheek. He closed his eyes, and that spicy scent grew stronger. _You're arousing her_, the beast growled, and he squeezed his eyes shut tighter before forcing them open. She leaned forward, tentatively, her eyes fixed on his lips, and he understood what she wanted.

He leaned forward, eliminating the decreasing space between them, and pressed his lips to hers, softly, gently, not wanting to push. But she pressed a little harder, her lips parted slightly, and his parted in reply, and the kiss became a little more heated. He had not expected her to acquiesce this quickly, but her acquiescence...this was maddening...his blood was roaring in his ears, and as her lips slid slowly and sensuously over his, his eyes fluttered shut. He carefully wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, almost so that she was sitting in his lap. And although the beast growled at him to put her in his lap, or better yet, throw her on the bed and show her searing passion, he restrained himself. She did, however, move so her thighs and his knees were touching, and his hand knotted in her hair to stop it from sneaking under her shirt and exploring the skin underneath.

He pulled away, wanting confirmation before proceeding. "So is that a yes?"

She grinned. "Y-yes, I w-will...d-date y-you."

He frowned. "Is 'dating' and 'courting' the same thing?"

She nodded, and he let slip a small smile. "I am honored to court you, Ms. Townsend, and I assure you, you will not regret it."

"I-I d-don't, I...I-I c-can't explain it...oh God," she breathed, kissing him again. "I-It's like...I-I've always kn-known you...is th-that w-weird?"

He raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "I feel...a deep connection to you, Tawny. You...stir me." That was an intimate admission on his part, but she needed to have a taste of that, if she was to be his wife some day. _And she will be, _the beast growled greedily. Kuvak silenced it. Time would tell, but in the meantime, he would court his little human and see where that took them. He had a strong feeling that he was holding his _k'diwa _and kissing her for the first time, but time would tell more.

Until he was sure, he would explore this and see. He kissed her again, pressing his hand to her cheek, and he rejoiced in the moment, savored it, and he counted himself quite lucky that she let him stay until midnight. He left her presence feeling giddy, and he resolved to get L'Vek's opinion on the matter (and perhaps indulge in a little friendly teasing) when they saw each other in the morning.

…

L'Vek gazed into the fire, watching the flames rise and fall as the wood burned down to ashes. A fitting metaphor for his condition...he felt himself slipping every day, and Meskhenet's presence was making the fever that much harder to control. He could not find enough peace of mind to meditate, so he tried to bring himself to a more peaceful state of mind by watching the fire. But flame was turbulent, burning hot, consuming...it did not ease his mind. It only made his condition that much more noticeable, and he closed his eyes, trying to find his center.

His eyes snapped open when two warm, soft, feminine hands wrapped around his torso and caressed his chest. He breathed in sharply and was besieged with a very familiar scent...

"Meskhenet," he breathed, leaning his head back. She kissed his neck right beneath his ear, then licked the tip of his ear. He trembled, his control already cracking.

"I came to wish you good night," she purred in his ear, her lips brushing the outer cartilage. "And I was cold...but you're so warm..."

"Meskhenet," he growled, his blood rising in heat, his groin twitching to life, the flames before him dancing, dancing like her hips, like two lovers in the throes of love-making...

He tried to rid his mind of the notion, but she trailed her tongue from his earlobe to his tip, and he gasped, his hand shooting up to grasp her cheek. He could feel her desire, her lust...it was like a tangible force pressing in on his mind, caressing the heat in his blood with heat of her own...

"Ms. Sadir, if you do not cease this..."

"What?" she purred. "How will you punish me, love?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, but the flames were rising, taking hold of him truly for the first time since his last Time. It was not full-blown fever, but if he had to give her a taste of the sensations she elicited in him...

_So be it_, the beast growled, and he growled, twisting around and pinning her to the rug he had been sitting on, the fire popping and snapping as she gasped, and he smirked down at her as he knelt in between her legs.

"Punish?" he repeated, licking his lips. "I think not. You need to know...accept me, Meskhenet," he purred. "Accept me, and I will do everything I can to please you."

She was only wearing a silk camisole and matching shorts, and he relieved her of the shorts, tugging them impatiently down her legs, and her underwear (_red is quite an agreeable color on her_, the beast chimed at the sight of the lacy garment) soon followed. He gripped her hips with enough force to bruise, then tugged her up so her rump was resting on his knees.

He had acted without thinking, and his mind finally caught up with the work of his body. She was half-naked before him, and he could see something white and wet glimmering in her opening, dripping from her sex. He reached out and touched a finger to the substance, unintentionally slipping the tip of his finger into her. She gasped.

"L'Vek," she whimpered, bucking her hips a little, raising her rump a few millimeters off his knees. Sweat was beginning to cloy at his hairline, and the light cotton-like shirt he had donned for bed was sticking to the back of his neck...

His eyes were fixed on her center until he flicked his gaze back up to meet hers. She narrowed her eyes teasingly, defiantly.

"You wouldn't dare," she growled. He smirked and did not even bother with a response, simply lowered his head and inhaled her scent, touching his nose to her opening. She whimpered again, and not in pain, his beast realized. Her scent (_like incense_, the beast purred) was spicier, heated, swirling in his nasal cavity as his lips parted and he surged forward.

She tasted sweet, the moisture dripping from her tickling his tongue as he plunged it into her. _Such moisture...such richness_, the beast growled, and he was overcome with a feverish hunger like he had never known the likes of before. His late wife would have never allowed him such liberties with her person, but Meskhenet, _his _lovely Meskhenet, was writhing and moaning in pleasure as he tempted her, teased her. He traced the outline of her center with his tongue, denying her another dose until she asked for it.

"L'Vek, you...you sadist!" she growled in mock protest, then whimpered as he briefly plunged back in, then withdrew.

"Ask me, _ashaya_," he purred. "I want you to ask for it."

She moaned. "L'Vek," she whispered, her voice taking on a lustful sweetness. "Please, _habibi_...do it again..."

He obliged, letting his tongue explore her depths, and soon she was trembling, writhing under his ministrations, even softly calling to him. She was clenching, tightening, and he plunged deeper, harder, the feverish hunger coming to a head as he tasted a gush of her sweet, warm liquid spilling into his mouth.

He moaned at the taste of it, the exotic nature of it...Vulcan women did not come to completion that way. It would be a waste of precious moisture. But human women, it seemed, gave loads of moisture to their loves, expressed their pleasure in an explosion of this delicious substance, and he lapped it up eagerly, cleaning her before setting her back down on the rug.

He crawled over her body, looking down in utter satisfaction at her panting, sweat-drenched body.

"_Habibi,_" she whimpered. "_Habibi, _I have never known pleasure...like that...do you...want to continue? If you asked, I could hardly refuse you now..."

His beast howled in victory, and he briefly considered taking her...but his logical side bit back. _No_, it chided. _She is worth more than flesh to feed your hunger._

_But she _wants _to be flesh to feed me_, the beast countered, digging its claws into his stomach. She closed her eyes and tried to regain her breath. _She has a hunger of her own...wouldn't it be _logical _to satisfy her needs?_

_If you were her husband, yes_, his logical side said insistently. _But you are not, and she must be respected until she agrees to that. She must be respected if she accepts, should that occur. You _cannot _let the heat of this moment overtake your senses, L'Vek! _

He breathed in a deep breath, closing his eyes, and he drooped his head. "No, Meskhenet," he said, his voice low and husky with the effort of resisting her. She made it so hard to resist... "I must respect you, and I fear I may have crossed the line already."

Her eyes flooded with emotion, her expression softening, and she raised a trembling hand to cup his cheek. Several seconds passed before she spoke.

"_Ana bahebak, habibi_," his intended breathed. "I love you."

His groin twitched completely to life at those words, and he glanced down at himself, slightly ashamed yet aroused that he could see himself through the thin pants he had donned. She followed his gaze and her eyes darkened, and she looked up at him with a lustful expression.

"Truly, I do," she purred. "And...if you like..." She gestured to his manhood and grinned wickedly.

He moaned like a wounded animal and let out a careful breath. "I will not be able to control myself if this continues, Meskhenet...my _loveliest _Meskhenet...flee, escape now before I take you, before I force you..."

She frowned and sat up, cupping his face again and touching her forehead to his. "Are you ok, L'Vek?"

"_No_," he breathed. "I am not myself."

"You do not truly feel such passion for me?"

"Meskhenet," he gasped, "I do. I do. I feel it day by day, and it _gnaws _at me...you must understand...your safety is in jeopardy, and I cannot allow myself to hurt you..."

He knelt back on his heels and let her stand, but she simply lifted his chin and smiled softly down at him.

"I love you for having the courage to admit that," she whispered, caressing his jaw. "I love you for having the restraint to control that desire for my sake...but _habibi_, I must confess I rather like this L'Vek that is not himself."

The beast growled at that, and his gaze drifted down her body, relishing the flush he had put on her creamy tanned skin. His eyes found her thighs, and he noted the white substance, her essence still dripping from her. _So much moisture..._

He had had a taste of her, but the beast was growling for another. _She liked what you did to her. Do it again, and she will be more apt to accept you..._

Her eyes found was he was staring at, and she lifted his chin again, smiling wickedly down at him.

"What is L'Vek who is not himself thinking?" she asked quietly. He growled.

"That I have not had enough of you," he purred, and he scooted forward, forcibly spreading her legs wider. He licked up her thigh, licked off her sweet juices, and his tongue found his prize once more. He went at her with a feverish hunger, stronger and more aggressive than the first time, and he could feel her legs begin to tremble as he gripped her thighs to keep her steady.

"L'Vek!" she gasped, her hand knotting in his gray hair as she swayed. "I can't stand, I can't stand...I can't stand...L'Vek!"

He pulled away and scooped her up into his arms, then tossed her gently onto the bed, and before her head even hit the coverlet, he thrust his fingers deep inside her. His lips sealed over her as she cried out, and her exclamations of pleasure would have to be vocalized into his mouth. He remembered that they were not in his home on Vulcan, or in a soundproof room, so they would have to be quiet as common courtesy to other patrons at the ski lodge.

She writhed and wriggled and bucked desperately against his fingers, and he felt her moans and groans of satisfaction reverberate on his lips. They were contented yet desperate, but when he searched deeper, she lifted her hips several inches off the bed and screamed into his mouth. Were it not for their disputable privacy, he would have continued with his mouth and worked to make her scream as loud as she could. But as it was, he would have to complete her pleasure this way.

He teased her with the tips of his fingers, and she clenched, but did not release. _Release for me, _ashaya, he thought to himself. _Release, and take your pleasure._

She drenched him in her moisture, and he sighed in satisfaction against her lips, then released her from his demanding kiss as she came down from her heights. He did not withdraw his fingers, though, but kept them deep inside her, causing her to moan when she realized this.

"Had enough yet?" she teased, grinning at him and pulling him down for another kiss. He purred against her soft, swollen lips.

"No," he growled. He withdrew his fingers slowly, trailing them to her walls, and she gasped. "But I must release you now, or else I never will. Go, before I take you."

"L'Vek," she whispered, kissing his lips gently and sweetly. "You're sure?"

He groaned and buried his nose against her neck, inhaling her scent. "Do not tempt me, _ashaya_. Not when I am so close to winning you."

"You already have," she whispered, and he lifted his nose to look her in the eye and raised his eyebrows.

"You're releasing me, telling me to go even when I'm begging you for more," she continued, smiling up at him. "I respect that kind of discipline in a man, and I don't think I want to let you escape me now."

She slowly sat up and held his face in her hands, cupping his cheeks. "You're a good man, L'Vek, and I count myself incredibly fortunate to have you...as a future husband?" she breathed, and his jaw dropped slightly in awe.

"You wish to be mine?" he breathed. "My...wife?"

"Yes," she replied, bestowing another sweet kiss on his trembling lips. "I want to be your wife. I want to have your children, if that's possible. I want you."

He could hardly breathe, but she kept going, draining his fractured control with every sacred word that tumbled from her lips. "I want a man who respects me, who I feel safe with, who not only stimulates my body but stimulates my mind. You do all these things, L'Vek, and so much more. I can't wait to go on this journey with you. So...will you do me the honor of being my husband?"

He scooted her up so that they were properly on the bed, and he gently laid her back onto the pillow and laid beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "That entails a base bond. Are you ready for that?"

She frowned. "Base bond?"

"Vulcans are tied to their mates through a telepathic bond. I will respect your privacy and would never intrude on your thoughts without your permission, but it would allow for a more...intimate connection with you. Fully bonded, I could speak to you telepathically, and you to me. Is that disagreeable to you?"

"Not at all," she murmured, nuzzling her nose into his neck. "But give me a while to get used to that idea. In all honesty, if I had to pick someone to listen to my thoughts 24-7, the man I love wouldn't be a bad choice."

He smiled softly to himself and lightly kissed her temple. "Now I ask that you not leave me. You have declared yourself as mine, and I do not want to let you go."

"Don't let me go, L'Vek," she whispered, and he could feel her body relax completely against his. _She trusts me so explicitly... _

She fell asleep, but he stayed awake through the night, pondering how he had gotten to this point, and pondering his future with his wife, his Meskhenet.


	13. The Gathering Dark

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and Kuvak and L'Vek, you silly little girls!), dinopoodle, 09sasha, maba7x, Caren Rose and T'Sara for reviewing! You are all amazing!**_

Gardner leaned casually back in his chair, pondering the reasons he was letting some disturbed little stalker have the privilege of taking out an alien. That adviser had been cantankerous, pompous, arrogant...what did Emmie see in him? What was so appealing about some cold-hearted Vulcan? There was no way he could offer her love and affection, so maybe it was just for his money. The man always dressed in those pompous, fancy robes, so he assumed the adviser came from some sort of money on Vulcan and could provide financial support to Emmie. But was she in a financial crises? He had been watching her (more discreetly than that idiot Carter) and knew she had moved, but the rent at her new place was just about the same as her old apartment.

And he had looked in her profile and done some digging. As it turned out, Ms. Sadir came from money too. Her great-grandfather on her father's side had been a great warlord in World War III, until his son, her grandfather, had overthrown him and restored peace, astounding the world by making the Northern African region one of the first regions to turn to peace when the Vulcan plague arrived one hundred years ago. On her mother's side, her grandfather had been a descendant of an oil sheik, and his children and grandchildren were mostly involved with clean energy projects and environmental safety iniatives, which had made them plenty of cash when the world began using less carbon-based emissions.

And now, the name Sadir popped up all the time in international politics. Her great-uncle had been an ambassador to France, and her father (before his death ten years ago) had been an influential council member in the New UN. Ms. Sadir came from money and power; her mother and father had practically come from royalty.

And yet she was here, a communications officer, International Division. He had read over her profile several times: graduated from Berkeley, had three degrees, and in a strange combination. She had a degree in English and one in Media and Communications, and with those two degrees (she had worked toward them at the same time), she had several minors in at least five languages. But then she had worked a year in New Berlin, then came back to Berkeley and got her degree in Dance with a license to teach. What a fascinating woman...

And here she was wasting her time with some goddamn Vulcan! A mind like hers, a _body _like hers deserved more than some cold-blooded reptile. She deserved a real man, not a dirty alien who probably didn't even know how to please her!

He closed his eyes and relaxed into his chair, sighing as he let a fantasy unwind.

"_John...I don't know what I was thinking...he's so cold towards me, John. He takes what he wants and...I just...need a real man right now..."_

_He smiled softly down at her and stroked a finger along her elegant jaw. "Then aren't you glad I came?"_

_She smiled, her exotic gray eyes brightening, and she leaned up and kissed him furiously on the lips, and he let his hand trail down towards her thighs. She moaned in desperation as he lifted the hem of her (very short) skirt and began toying with her._

"_John," she breathed. "Oh, baby, it's been so long...stop teasing me..."_

He smiled as he imagined giving her what that Vulcan probably didn't even know existed, but then he sighed. It was a shame she was a mudlicker. He really could have gone for that body, that mind. He _would _have gone after her, if it weren't for that goddamn Vulcan getting in his way.

She would be dead soon, and he would be blameless. It was a shame she had to die, but he was sure he would meet other women who were just as wonderful, if not more wonderful, than Emmie Sadir.

…

L'Vek knocked politely on Emmie's office door, and he noted that he had to wait, and he grew impatient until she called for him to come in. Commodore Forrest was standing there, and the man smiled and nodded to him, then glanced at the container in his hand.

"_Habibi_! The commodore was just asking for an updated itinerary for our next field trip," Emmie said cheerfully, and Forrest raised his eyebrows.

"'Habibi', Ms. Sadir? What does that mean?"

"That is none of your concern, commodore," L'Vek said shortly, wanting him gone so he could talk to his intended alone. Forrest seemed to get the hint, because he smiled and nodded.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Adviser. What's with the container?"

"We baked cinnamon rolls together, and I insisted on sending some home with him," Emmie explained. "Is that all, sir?"

Forrest's smile widened and he left soon after, but not after shooting L'Vek a mischievous wink. The Vulcan sighed and handed her the empty container.

"Did you like them, my love?" She got up from her chair and walked around the desk, leaning against it as she leveled a playful gaze at him. "Did you think of me when you ate them?"

He stepped closer and stroked his fingers up her jawline. "Yes indeed, _ashaya_, I thought of you as I ate them. They were...adequate."

She paused, then narrowed her eyes, a mischievous gleam in her gray eyes. "Adequate?"

"Yes." He stepped closer. "I would say delicious, but I found something much more delicious than the rolls." He stepped closer still, pressing his leg in between hers. Her eyes darkened, and he purred. "And _that,_" he pressed her harder to elucidate, "is what I am craving now, more than any confection."

She caught his meaning and pressed her hand to his chest. "Well...maybe we can arrange something later," she whispered, "so you can..._satisfy_ that craving." She grinned wickedly and his gut lurched in longing, and were it not for the stack of PADDs she picked up, he would have kissed her then and there. Her playfulness and teasing were arousing him, pricking his blood with the fever.

"Where are you going, _ashaya_?" He was loathe to let her leave.

"I have to drop off some reports. Want to come with me?"

He nodded and turned to lead her out the door, but then he froze and tilted his head.

"L'Vek, come on, I've got to turn-"

"Meskhenet," he held up his hand and looked around the office, scanning for vents or bookshelves or anywhere that could hide what he suspected was in this room.

"L'Vek?" Her voice was pricked with fear. "What's going on?"

He turned when he heard the resounding boom, and he caught Emmie in his arms and cradled her with his arms, like a living safety net, as he threw himself (and her) to the ground.

The world exploded in fire and heat, and he lost his senses as he fell into unconsciousness.

...

Some time later, he awoke. He was momentarily deaf (a ringing sound was buzzing in his ears), but it faded, and he heard the crumbling of debris and the spray of the water sprinklers, and he slowly lifted himself off the ground, looking around for any large pieces of debris that could potentially fall onto him and Emmie. She was below him (his inner eyelid had automatically closed when the blast erupted from the upper vent, and he was quickly adjusting to the darkness; the lights had gone out as the power to her office was shorted out), and he leaned closer and noticed a gash on her forehead. They had landed awkwardly, but he did not know how injured she was.

She slowly opened her eyes and stared up at him, and he was amazed to see a smile on her face. His blood was roaring in his ears; he knew this was no accident, he had heard the ticking of the bomb! Someone was after his beloved, and he would have their head!

"Meskhenet," he croaked, then coughed out the dust that had flown into his mouth. "_Ashaya_, are you all right?"

She blinked. "I hit my head..."

He nodded and cupped her face. "Yes, I can see that. Anything else?"

She shook her head. "No...you?"

"I believe I am uninjured. Come, we need to get out of this place."

"L'Vek," she whispered, and he turned back to her. His eyes raked her body and he could find no other injuries on her, and he wandered why she was delaying.

"What is it, Meskhenet?"

She closed her eyes, then opened them and gave him a desperate kiss. "What the hell just happened?"

"Someone planted a bomb in this office. I heard the ticking of the timer."

She closed her eyes again and laid her head back on the dusty floor. Her hairband had come undone in the fall, casting her elegant bun into disarray, and her beautiful black hair was dusted with dirt. She looked tired, and he thought she was probably still stunned from the fall.

He got onto his knees and worked his arms under her, as gently as he could in case she had other injuries, and he stood, kicking debris out of his way and making for the door. The office was modest, no bigger than a small bedroom, and in a few strides he was at the door. He set her down and stood over her as he ripped the panel from the wall and worked to open the door with manual override. He could hear people on the other side of the door working to do the same, but he beat them to it, and the doors opened enough for him to get his hands in and pry the doors apart. It wasn't difficult considering his strength, and when they were open, he ignored the security officers' orders and lifted Emmie again, cradling her in his arms, protecting her.

He followed the security officers down the dark hallway, past fallen panels, keeping a tight grip on his intended.

"You look angry, _habibi_," she murmured softly, and he was sure only he could hear it.

"I am...disturbed. Someone planted that bomb, I am sure of it," he growled softly.

"My love, I do not know how long we were out," she muttered. "Slow your pace so we can talk. You cannot go out there looking angry about what happened. Be stoic."

He glanced down at her. "You sound as if you have done this before."

"I know a thing or two about how to handle media. That is my job. Be stoic, and don't answer any questions. Look straight ahead. I'm going to close my eyes, and when we're on our way to Starfleet Medical-"

"I'm taking you to the Consulate."

She sighed. "All right. When we're out of sight of the cameras, tell me I can open my eyes."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Do you want our relationship posted all over the media? If I'm awake, I will talk to you, and hang on to you, and settle my head on your chest or something. That is a dead giveaway that we are together, considering you're not stopping me."

He glanced down at her. "We are together?" he breathed. "Truly?"

She smiled softly, and her eyes drooped. "Are we not, my love?"

He graced her with a tiny smile. "My wise Meskhenet." He could hear voices and set his face to a neutral expression, and she closed her eyes and relaxed in his arms. He could feel her breathing, and he obeyed her commands, stoically walking past the media as he headed for the doors. Commodore Forrest was waiting for him, and shoved him and Emmie into an aircar.

"Starfleet Medical," the commodore ordered the pilot.

"No, the Consulate."

"Mr. Adviser," the commodore protested, "that would be too obvious."

Emmie opened her eyes and stared up at him, a slight smile playing on her face. She glanced at the human. "What do you mean, commodore?"

He glanced between the two of them, and L'Vek set his jaw. His relationship with his intended was none of the commodore's business.

"I assume you two are seeing each other?"

Emmie raised an eyebrow. "What gave you that idea?" She smiled and looked up at L'Vek. "You saved my life, _habibi_."

"It is my duty to protect you," he muttered softly, stroking her cheek, ignoring the commodore for now. "You will go to the Consulate. If you must think of an excuse, tell them I insisted, because I too am mildly injured and it would be a waste of a trip to take her all the way back to Starfleet Medical."

Commodore Forrest shrugged. "They might not buy that, but..." He turned to the pilot. "Do as he says."

The pilot took off, and he laid Meskhenet down into his lap. "How do you feel, _ashaya_? Can you sit up?"

She closed her eyes. "I feel dizzy..."

"She may have a concussion. I'm sure your doctor can tell us more," the commodore said softly. L'Vek nodded in agreement.

"Lie back and rest, Meskhenet," he whispered, stroking her hair, trying to find any other injuries on her head. Head wounds were more dangerous for Vulcans, but they were still dangerous to humans. When he caught the bastard that did this...

They touched down at the Consulate and L'Vek lifted his intended again, cradling her head in the crook of his elbow. The commodore followed behind them, and L'Vek sighed very quietly, but Meskhenet smiled in his arms.

"He's just doing his job, _habibi_. I am his colleague. He's concerned for me, as a colleague. So calm down."

L'Vek breathed in and recited a few mantras in his head as he set her down in the Consulate infirmary, and the Vulcan doctors told him to take a seat as well. He was quickly examined and deemed fit to go back to duty immediately, and Emmie, fortunately, was only saddled with a mild concussion.

He looked toward the infirmary doors when they opened, and Ambassador Soval and Kuvak strode in together, taking in the scene with concerned gazes. The two of them approached him, and the commodore stepped forward as well.

"Ambassador," the human said with a bow. He turned to Kuvak, who bowed his head as well.

"Introductions later, commodore. _What happened_?" Soval said curtly, switching to Vulcan. Kuvak frowned at the ambassador and his gaze slipped to Forrest, who was also frowning.

"Ambassador, this incident also involved a human," Kuvak chided softly. Soval glanced at him, but the minister's gaze was firm, and Soval dipped his head.

"Thank you, sir," Forrest muttered to Kuvak, who smiled ever so slightly. His expression sobered when he glanced over at Emmie. "What happened?"

"There was an explosion. Someone planted a bomb, I am sure of it," he said, his voice almost guttural. Kuvak admonished him with a hard glance, and he sighed and tried his hardest to regain control of his emotions.

"Is that all?"

"I pushed her to the ground and covered her. She must have had a hard fall. I was knocked unconscious as well, but the doctors have proclaimed me fit for duty. However...I feel the need to meditate."

Forrest raised an eyebrow, but did not comment, and Soval nodded slowly. "Commodore, this is Minister Kuvak of the High Command. He is the adviser's cousin."

"Oh," Forrest said with a slight smile. "Um...you honor us with your presence, sir," he said softly, and L'Vek frowned at the commodore, who smiled slightly at Soval. "Isn't that how that greeting of yours goes?"

Kuvak nodded and raised the _ta'al_. "Yes, it is agreeable to meet you, commodore."

The human turned to Ms. Sadir. "Is my employee going to be ok?"

"She will recover within a day or two," the doctor said, joining the conversation. "She has a mild concussion, but she is young and healthy. Her stay here will be brief."

"I'll have to cancel class tonight...can I have access to a communications console, please?" Emmie groaned, lying flat on her back on the biobed. L'Vek rushed to her side and smiled ever so slightly down at her as the doctors and nurses dispersed.

"I will see to it that you get access to one," he murmured, and he pulled up a chair. Soval and Forrest left soon after, but Kuvak slowly approached him.

"_She accepted my proposal, Kuvak,_" he whispered in Vulcan to his cousin, his hands folded in front of his face. "_She will be mine soon. And when I find the scum who did this..._"

"_Meditate, cousin, you are fatigued, and your emotions are closer to the surface._" His expression softened. "_She will be an excellent addition to our family._"

"Kuvak," Emmie murmured, "could you contact Tawny? I promised her we would meet up, and I don't want her to worry about me."

Kuvak nodded. "I will do that now. It is agreeable to know that you are not injured, Ms. Sadir."

Kuvak left them alone, and Emmie settled down to rest. He kept watch over her for the rest of the day and into the night, meditating off and on, gazing at his beloved as she slept peacefully in the gathering darkness.

He had plans to make.

…

"You call that a bomb?" Gardner roared, smacking Carter across the face. A couple of his flunkies were holding the worm still, but there was little chance this idiot could put up much of a fight. "Emmie Sadir, that little _bitch_, is still alive! And the alien scum walked out without so much as a scratch!"

He smacked him hard across the face again, and Carter whimpered like a girl. "I thought our goal was to kill aliens and sympathizers," he moaned. "No one around her office is guilty, I was trying to contain the blast..."

"Well, you certainly contained it. You're a failure, Carter, at everything you do," he snarled. He had had enough of this swine and his bumbling attempts to work for the cause. He looked up at the flunkies and nodded.

"So, as a reward for failing miserably, you can, as the gangsters say, sleep with the fishies. I hope you die quickly and rid the Earth of your incompetence."

The flunkies dragged him off, and he kicked and begged for mercy, but Gardner turned away and walked into the gathering mists, determined to end this once and for all.


	14. Storytime

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Caren Rose, dinopoodle, T'Mihn, but especially to Fameanon, who is awesome (I counted 4 character reviews there, honey. That's a record. ;D).**_

Kuvak strode down the hallways of the Consulate, his purple, silk robes billowing in the wake of his lengthy and confident stride. Tawny would be arriving at any moment, and he wanted to look his best, as he was finally in an environment where his more formal attire would not be off-putting. His robes felt like a shield against the outside world in a way, a facade he could put on every day to insulate himself against criticism, pompous idealists, and the slow, creeping corruption he saw consuming his colleagues day by day. And it kept his insecurities and doubts hidden away inside, beneath the robes.

He strode out into the lobby, and the guards on either side of the entrance snapped to attention. He heard a familiar voice mumbling something unintelligible, and as he came around the grandiose and raised front desk, he saw Tawny arguing with the secretary.

"You cannot enter the Consulate without a permit or an escort," the secretary said sternly, looking down her nose at his Tawny. _No_, he reminded himself, _courting is not a guarantee of marriage in her culture. She is fond of you, but she is not yours._

"Ms. Townsend," he called softly, and she turned quickly to him, her eyes flooding with relief.

She smiled wanly at him. "S-she s-says I c-can't-"

He held up a hand and turned to the secretary. "_I will escort her_," he said in Vulcan, his tone cold and commanding. "_I would think you would have more respect for our human allies._"

He led Tawny away, and the guards bowed their heads as he passed, and Tawny looked at him with wide eyes.

"Th-thank you..." she whispered once they were a ways down the hall. "S-she...s-she w-wouldn't..."

Kuvak knew they were alone, so he stopped her in the hallway and turned to her. "Shh," he murmured, stroking her face with two fingers. "She is of no consequence. Ms. Sadir is waiting for us."

Tawny's eyes brightened, and he watched in fascination as they darkened. His fingers were seemingly glued to her skin, and he stroked in soft circles on her neck. Her eyes fluttered shut and she made a mewling sound, and he suddenly realized what he was doing.

He ripped his fingers away and took a step back. "Forgive me, that was..."

"Wonderful," she whispered, staring at his chest with hooded eyes. Her bright green eyes found his again and she smiled, and he gently cupped her cheek.

"You did not stutter that time," he observed, a bubble of pride rising in his chest. She raised her eyebrows, then she frowned.

"I-I g-guess you get to a c-certain s-softness...and it d-doesn't m-matter an..a-anymore," she said, and he tilted his head in agreement.

"Come," he said softly, stroking her cheek once more. He really did enjoy touching her... "Ms. Sadir is expecting us."

Emmie Sadir was propped up in bed, reading over a PADD, and she looked up when they entered the infirmary. Her gray eyes brightened at the sight of her friend, and she held out her arms, a silent request for an embrace. Tawny nearly ran to her and hugged her friend tightly, and Emmie whispered something in her hair.

Kuvak felt a presence by his side and turned to see L'Vek standing beside him, his eyes on Emmie.

"_I thought you were meditating,_" Kuvak murmured in Vulcan. L'Vek nodded curtly.

"_I have completed my meditation. I felt the need to check on she who will be my wife._"

Kuvak raised an eyebrow at him, but watched in silence as he walked up to Emmie and stroked her face.

"Your Earth authorities discovered who was responsible for the bombing," L'Vek murmured to her, his voice growing hard and cold. Kuvak approached him slowly. "It was Carter."

Emmie stared at him in disbelief for several seconds, then turned around to face Tawny. Kuvak followed her gaze and discovered that Tawny had backed away from Emmie's bed and was clinging to the neighboring bed, her complexion pale, almost tinged with green. He rushed to her side and lightly touched her shoulder, and she turned to him with fearful eyes.

"Kuvak," Emmie murmured, and he turned to the dark-haired woman. She gestured with her head to the door and looked pointedly at Tawny, and Kuvak got the hint.

He gently pressed his hand to the small of her back and took her out into the hall, but then veered left into a small service corridor. Her green eyes were shimmering with tears, and he gently wrapped his arms around her. According to L'Vek, doing this for a human woman when she is on the verge of tears was the best thing to do. No words needed to be said, only the gesture. He bolstered her with his control and calm and stroked her hair, waiting for her to calm down. She did not shed any tears and managed to control her breathing within a few minutes, and her complexion looked better.

"I do not know what to say to you, or how to ask why that name causes you such distress, or even if I should ask," he whispered into her hair. "But know that I am here for you, that I will not allow anything to befall you. If courting is a prelude to possible marriage, and I am a possible candidate for you, then I assure you, nothing will befall she who is...my Tawny," he ended finally, and she pressed her head harder into his chest, as if she were trying to crawl inside him. He wished she could, that he could carry her around wherever he went and keep her safe from harm.

She let out a deep breath and looked up at him, her tears gone, her face set. "I-I'm s-sorry f-for..."

He cupped her cheek with a gentle hand, and she fell silent. "There is no need to apologize. Do you feel well enough to join the others?"

She smiled wanly and nodded, and he led her back to the infirmary.

…

L'Vek watched the two leave and turned to Emmie, who sighed. He could feel waves of frustration pouring off of her, and he put a hand on her shoulder. She trapped his hand with hers, squeezing tightly, and he closed his eyes as he felt a jolt of electricity shoot down his core.

"Meskhenet," he growled, holding her hand tightly. "You try my control..."

She gently removed her hand from his and cupped his cheek instead, and that did not help matters. His rival was still alive, had tried to take Emmie from him, and he would not have it! He could feel real, white-hot anger boiling in his stomach, but the concern she had for her friend and for him cooled it slightly.

"Do you realize what you do to me, _ashaya_?" he whispered, cupping her cheek in return. "Do you realize what you can do for me?"

She pressed her forehead to his. "Ever since that other woman came into your office, you've been...more emotive...you work at a fast pace, _habibi_, and I wonder where we'll be in a month's time."

_You will be in my arms as I please you in every way, _his inner beast growled, and he did not have the will or the desire to shove the thought away. He wanted that thought to become reality, and he stroked his fingers down her face, causing her to mewl in pleasure.

"You calm the storm within me," he whispered, tracing her jawline with a gentle hand. "There are times...oh, Meskhenet, how can I begin to tell you all you must know about Vulcans?"

She stroked his silver hair and tickled the back of his neck with a soft caress. "You talk, and I listen."

He smirked ruefully. "There is a logic to what you say. Ever wise, my Meskhenet..."

She opened her mouth to reply, but Kuvak and Tawny returned, and he stepped away from her, enough distance to satisfy propriety, but enough closeness to stand by her. She seemed to sense his ire and smiled at him, squeezing his shoulder with a playful hand.

"Do you remember, _habibi_, how a few months ago, you asked about that bedtime story my mother loved to hear?"

He nodded. "The one about Meskhenet?"

She smiled. "Would you like to hear it?"

Tawny seemed to brighten at the thought of hearing the story, and the blonde woman sat next to Meskhenet, who turned to her friend and brushed a lock of her golden hair away from her face.

"Once upon a time," she began, leaning back into the pillows, "in a desert land far away, there was a beautiful palace. It was situated around one of the few oases in the desert, and in the palace lived the sultan – the king of the land – and his court. The sultan had many sons who commanded his armies and learned the ways of kingship, but he also had one daughter, his youngest child. Her name," she glanced over at him, "was Meskhenet."

L'Vek raised an eyebrow, but did not comment.

"Meskhenet loved her freedom and often sneaked out of the palace when her tutors and governesses were looking the other way," she continued with a wry smile. "In exchange for one of her pretty combs, she borrowed some old clothes from a servant girl to disguise herself, and exited the palace through a hole in the garden wall.

She would wander through the bazaar and talk to all the merchants, and she went out one day to the bazaar. There were a number of shepherds coming in to sell their wool, and one shepherd in particular caught her eye. He was dark and mysterious, and he looked very different from the other shepherds, as if he were foreign. And it hurt her heart to see the lonely look on his face. So she followed him after the auctions to the well in the middle of the city. He watered his newly-sheared sheep, and she watched him, and when he turned to leave, she approached him.

'Shepherd, whence came you?' she asked politely, offering him a curtsy. He smiled.

'Across the desert and over many rivers is my home. I will return there soon, but in the meantime I will be here in this city and the surrounding countryside. Why do you ask, dear lady?'

She shrugged. 'You could use a friend, since you say you do not come from my country.'

So every day for the next month, they met at the well, and they told each other stories and talked of their dreams. One day, he said he was leaving in the morning, and she realized she had fallen in love with the shepherd. But she was a princess and he was common, and it would never come to pass.

Her heart was rent further when she saw her father that evening. He told her that since she was now of age, she would be married to a far-off prince, from across the desert, many miles from her home. She ran to her room and cried the whole night through, pining for her shepherd boy. Although she begged and pleaded for her father to leave her be, he would not be swayed. She would be given to the prince the following morning, and he would take her to his home and marry her there.

The morning came and the prince arrived with his entourage – his face was covered by cloth, which made her moan to herself; she thought he might be hiding an ugly face – and after the customary greetings and farewells, she left with him. He set her behind him on his great white horse, and they rode across the desert. When nightfall came, they stopped and made camp, and he put her in the finest tent. She was determined to escape, to run into the desert and go back home to her shepherd boy, but just as she was about to get up and leave, someone entered her tent.

He came into the lamp light and she cried out with joy – it was her shepherd. She ran to him and embraced him and told him of her love for him, and when she looked up at him, into his dark, mysterious eyes, she realized – he was the prince!

He smiled down at her and kissed her, and when she asked for an explanation, they sat down.

'I have traveled far and wide looking for a wife, and although many kings have claimed to have beautiful daughters, they are nowhere near as beautiful as you. I have dressed as a shepherd and stayed in many cities, and when I sought an audience with the princesses, they scoffed at me and wondered why I was wasting their time. But you, my Meskhenet, showed me the beauty of your soul, and that is why I will make you my wife. You approached a lonely shepherd boy and offered him your friendship, and that, in my eyes, is the most beautiful thing about she who is my beautiful wife.'

But she was confused. 'How did you know it was me? For I too was in disguise.'

He laughed and held her close. 'No common clothing could disguise your physical beauty, Meskhenet. I recognized you from the painting your father sent to me.'

And they were married in his land, and ruled the kingdom together, and their days were long and joyful until they passed into the land beyond this world."

L'Vek reached out, not caring that Kuvak and Tawny were in the room, and he stroked her face. He wished they were bonded so he could speak to her in her mind, but Tawny broke his reverie when she sighed.

"I love that story," she whispered, her voice no louder than a quiet breath, but he heard it, and he was sure Kuvak heard as well. His cousin smirked and stepped forward, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Would you like to hear a story from our planet?"

She turned to him and nodded enthusiastically, but Kuvak turned to L'Vek. His cousin was not as fluent in English as he, though Kuvak was more familiar with the story.

"If you wish me to tell it, I will," he conceded, "though you may need to help me."

Kuvak nodded, and L'Vek turned to Meskhenet, feeling calmer already. He had a distinct feeling that the disguised prince and Princess Meskhenet were a metaphor for their relationship, and it made a wonderful contented feeling bubble in his stomach. His Meskhenet was in love with him, she would be his soon...there was no need for worry.

"In the days of the Awakening," L'Vek began, his voice steady and even, "when we were turning to logic and peace, there lived a great warrior princess, T'Hya, the daughter of a clan that desired peace as Surak desired peace."

Meskhenet held up a hand. "Who is Surak?"

L'Vek raised his eyebrows. "He is the father of logic as we know it. He turned our people to peace and enlightenment."

Her eyes brightened. "Like Muhammad."

"Or J-Jesus," chimed Tawny. Meskhenet nodded her head at the suggestion and smiled at him.

"I understand. Continue," she murmured.

"She heard of a man who was converting the Vulcan people to a way of peace and non-violence, and logic and control. She journeyed on foot for a fortnight over the burning sands to the plains of fire, where this man was teaching, where, as rumor told it, he had stopped a battle simply by walking in between the warring factions. She found him and found the stories to be true, so she pledged her heart and her clan to his way."

Tawny's eyes were misty, and Kuvak's eyebrows were raised, his expression encouraging. His Meskhenet was staring at him with a gentle expression, and he stroked her face gently at his next words.

"There was another man traveling with Surak and his wife, a priest. His name was T'Klaas, and she loved him. The fires of her blood had not cooled completely, and she found her heart pining for this man, this master of control."

Meskhenet's eyes softened further, and she closed them, listening to his words with rapture.

"He would not have her. He wanted to devote his life to complete control, the complete shunning of emotion and personal bonds, what we call _kolinahr_.

Though she tried to convince him first with logic, then with passion, to make her his mate, he would not listen. Finally, she came to him with _hagash _fruit." The tips of Kuvak's ears turned slightly green, and L'Vek smirked wryly. _Hagash _was nothing to be ashamed of, and if anything, the thought of the fertility fruit made him want to try it on Meskhenet, and make her full with his child.

"It is a fruit from our homeworld that makes the person who consumes it...quite fertile or potent. She used it as a last resort, and seduced him. One night of passion, and she bore him twins, a boy and a girl."

Meskhenet was practically glowing, and he turned his touch to her jawline, no longer telling the story to Tawny and Kuvak, but to her...

"But T'Hya was not satisfied with only bearing him children. He would not become her mate, and so she followed him in the path of _kolinahr_, to be close to the one she loved in the only way she could. She gave her children to Surak and his wife for them to raise, and they were raised as Surak's own. T'Hya returned to her clan years later, and became a beacon of logic for her family, and for all of Vulcan."

Meskhenet smiled and cupped his cheek. "That's...sad, yet romantic as well...I like it. She must have been a great woman."

"She is the progenitor of our clan," L'Vek replied. "She is our ancestor, Kuvak and I."

She smiled. "I doubt Meskhenet's story is as true as yours, but it may hold truth. It holds truth today," she murmured, then whispered something in Arabic. He quirked an eyebrow and reminded himself to look her words up later.

He heard the door open and turned, and saw the commodore standing there. He looked contrite, and weary, and L'Vek stepped forward, removing himself from Emmie's touch.

"Am I interrupting anything?" the commodore asked.

"Not at all, sir," Emmie answered from behind him. "What can we do for you?"

The human sighed and stepped forward, and L'Vek stiffened. "I came to tell you that Earth authorities have found Carter." He paused. "He's dead. They found him in the Bay."

The edges of L'Vek's vision turned green, and he turned away from the commodore before he exposed his true feelings on the matter. He was Meskhenet's mate, and therefore, he should have been the one to vanquish his rival! It was his duty, it was his right!

The fever in his blood roared at him, demanding for vengeance, but the logical side of him was chiding him vehemently at the dark part of him that was rejoicing in Carter's death, that he thought the only good thing about this was that Meskhenet need not fear this man anymore.

But the thing that cooled his blood, surprisingly, was the stricken look on Tawny's face. It was a frightening visage, her eyes shining with a horror that was beyond fear, as she slowly comprehended the finality of the commodore's words. Kuvak put a hand on Tawny's shoulder, and L'Vek turned back to the human officer.

"Thank you for keeping us updated, commodore," he said quietly, and Forrest nodded. "You may go."

The commodore looked to Emmie, who shrugged, and L'Vek spied a sadness in her eyes that made his blood flare again.

"Such a waste," she whispered, and he straightened, immediately ashamed of himself. "I certainly didn't like the man, but I would have liked to see him behind bars, not dead."

"They found his DNA on the fragments of the explosive," the commodore continued, and L'Vek stiffened again. "He planted that bomb."

L'Vek could no longer be among these people (save Meskhenet), and when she gave him a sympathetic look, he stormed out of the room, muttering to Kuvak about where he was going and for what purpose, and he returned to his quarters and sat down for meditation.

…

They were back in the service hallway, and Tawny, it seemed, could not hold back her tears this time. He did not understand why, but Meskhenet, once L'Vek left, had given Tawny a warm hug, and the look of sympathy on Emmie's face told Kuvak that there was more to this situation than met the eye. He would have to ask Meskhenet about it some other time. He was occupied now with calming his Tawny down.

Despite the sadness of the situation and the horror and anger that was seeping through her skin to him, he found great delight in calling her that. _My Tawny_.

"_Hush, _ashal-veh, _and hear my words. There is nothing to fear. I am with you. I will care for you, Tawny...I will care for you..._"

She buried her face into his tunic and breathed him in, and it seemed to calm her. She continued this, inhaling his scent, and he could feel the primal strings within him pulled taut at her actions. _My scent is comfort_, he thought to himself. _My scent is safety..._

_Yes, breathe me in, Tawny, breathe me in...make me yours...because soon, I will make you mine..._

He shut off his thoughts and held her tighter.

…

T'Via strode down the hallways of the Consulate, her head held high, her thoughts focused on her mission. The last woman to approach L'Vek, T'Keva, was scorned and insulted, for a human woman, no less. Her clan mother was most displeased with this and threatened to sever all ties with T'Mil, but her clan mother sent T'Via to do what T'Keva could not. She had been arranged to see to Minister Kuvak's needs, but L'Vek's situation was more pressing, and therefore it was logical for her to become his mate instead. It did not really matter to her. To marry into the house of T'Hya was a great honor, and one she would see bestowed on her and her family. An alliance that had been planned for generations would not be usurped by some common human.

She pressed on the buzzer of L'Vek's quarters and waited patiently. T'Keva was not persistant; she had abandoned her mission as soon as trouble arose. But T'Via would not be so daunted by competition. L'Vek was hers, and his prestige and power would become hers as well.

The door opened, revealing a minimally dressed L'Vek. He had donned only his meditation robe and some lightweight pants, and she knew his fever must be getting worse if he was so ill-prepared for this visit. She held aloft the water in her hands and spoke the ritual words, but L'Vek tapped the console near the doorjamb, and the door closed in her face.

She fumed silently for a few minutes, then rang the doorbell again. He did not answer, and she turned when she heard footsteps coming down the hall.

Minister Kuvak and a frail-looking blonde human were walking together down the hall. Her eyes were rimmed red, as if she had been crying, and to T'Via's confusion, Kuvak did not look like he was appalled or disgusted with this human. He seemed rather content, and it irked her.

"_Osu_," she greeted when he came closer. She ignored the human.

Kuvak raised an eyebrow and his eyes darkened. "_I would not linger outside my cousin's doorway, since I know he has rejected you. There is no logic in trying again_," he said to her in Vulcan. The human frowned at her. "_He has made his choice, and she has accepted him. Your services are not required._"

She narrowed her eyes slightly before bowing her head in acceptance. "_Then, Osu, may I serve you in your time of need?_"

"_No_," he said firmly, his posture stiffening. He turned slightly to the human beside him, then looked back at her. "_I too have made my choice_."

"_Her?_" T'Via scoffed, eying the scrawny blonde woman. "_She is frail, and she is human. Can she truly give you what you will need, Osu?_"

She looked back at Kuvak with self-assurance, but the look in his eyes made her instantly regret her words. His expression was not angry, but rather it was cold, like a biting wind from the icelands of Andoria. He stepped closer to her, towering over her, and he flared his nostrils. She held her ground, but inside she was withering. This was not going as she anticipated.

"_You will leave this planet, T'Sai_." He spat the word as if it were an insult, and it felt like one, like a slap across the face. "_If you are attempting to endear yourself to me, insulting she who has my respect is not a good place to start._" He glared at her and stepped away. "_Now go, and do not return._"

He walked on, the woman hurrying after him, and she watched him go, fear and disappointment growing in her gut. She had insulted a minister of the High Command...this was not how things were supposed to go! What powers did these fragile, erratically emotional humans have over L'Vek and Kuvak? Had they lost their minds?

She let out a short breath and headed for the front desk to arrange lodging here. She would wait. L'Vek would realize his folly, and Kuvak too, when they were in the throes of the fever, and their human companions fled from fear. Then they would see, and she would be waiting.

This wasn't over.


	15. The Beat of the Drum

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and T'Via, L'Vek and Kuvak), bina W, maba7x, 2redbird, Caren Rose and the anon reviewer, but mostly to T'Mihn for those wonderful reviews! Bless you, sweetheart!**_

_**A/N: Holy guacamole, that's a lot of reviews! This story is (at the moment) the top-reviewed story that I've written for this site. And to think, I started this thing for kicks, about a character who doesn't even get a canon name! Wow, life is surreal sometimes...but you guys are awesome! Thank you!**_

Tawny followed Kuvak down the hallways of the Consulate, and it wasn't until they came to a door that she realized he wasn't leading her to the exit. Behind the door was a spartan room, but the suite looked comfortable, and his eyes gleamed in reassurance as he gestured for her to enter. She walked to the middle of the room and looked at the art on the wall, pondering the circles and triangles that intermingled and overlapped on the large print.

She felt his fingers at her neck and his chest at her back, and she leaned back into him, closed her eyes and turned her head to one side, opening up her flesh to his ministrations. He carefully and lightly traced the line of her neck, up and down, slowly, sensuously, and she let out a tiny groan to clue him in to the pleasure he was sending down her spine.

His arm wrapped around her middle and held her tighter to him, and she felt herself being led backward until she opened her eyes and saw a couch. She sat down, and he followed suit, then gently lifted her chin and kissed her forehead.

"Tawny," he breathed, kissing her temple. "You are...lovely...more than lovely...may I...touch you more?"

She breathed an affirmative and slowly made for his lips, and he granted her a kiss. At first it was chaste, but soon she was parting her lips, inviting him to enter. And enter he did, with gentleness, than with growing urgency, then with fervor. She gasped into his mouth as their tongues tangled in an erotic dance, and she could feel herself throb in anticipation. She raised her hand and cupped his cheek, and it was his turn to gasp.

"Tawny," he groaned as he dove for her neck. His kisses were heated, and the way he was stroking his fingers down her spine made it seem as if passion were erupting from his very fingertips. She combed her fingers through his silver hair, unintentionally casting it into disarray, and as he broke away from her, she felt a pulse of arousal shoot down her spine at the sight of him so...flustered.

"I-it's a good thing," she whispered as she pressed heated kisses of her own along his jawline. "It's a good thing humans d-don't know you kiss like this...o-otherwise we wouldn't be able to...keep our hands off you...you'd be," she giggled at the thought that entered her mind, "h-hunted down..."

His eyes widened as she glanced up at him, and she grinned and lightly kissed the tip of his ear. He gasped and convulsed slightly, and immediately she pulled away, concerned for him.

"D-did that hurt?" she whispered, losing some of her gusto. But he opened his eyes to reveal dark pupils surrounded by a halo of blue-gray, and the look in his eyes as his gaze raked over her body made the hair on the back of her head stand on end.

"Kuvak, are-"

She was cut off with a desperate kiss, and she moaned and opened her mouth for him. His kiss was even more ferocious than the last, and she was left weak and breathless at the way he moved, the way he caressed her and nipped her. She groaned, tugging him closer, delighting in the sensation of hot arousal in her gut.

"Forgive me, Tawny," he whispered as he returned to her neck and lightly bit her. She gasped in surprise, reminded of a vampire, or a wolf, and with him it was so...erotic. She didn't want him to stop.

"F-for what?" she breathed, letting out a pitiful, whorish sound as he took her earlobe in his mouth and sucked.

"For not controlling myself," he whispered, loosening his grip on her and slowly his pace.

"You don't have to stop." Her voice was breathless and husky, and she gripped his hair as he bit her, a little harder this time.

"Don't talk like that, or I won't stop...and I couldn't bear it if I..." He trailed off and kissed her tenderly, and she relaxed in his arms. "That woman...I want nothing to do with her, and her behavior was shameful. I suppose I...oh, Tawny..." He whispered something more into her neck and kissed her skin with fervent eagerness, and she let out a long, controlled breath.

"Y-you d-don't like her?"

"She insulted you," he growled, nipping at her shoulder. She gasped. "My...control was tested...even now, it is tested in a different way...I do not know how to explain in your tongue..."

He pulled away and gazed into her eyes, and he laid her head down on his chest. "You test my control," he continued. "I would ask you to spend the night near me, but I know that would be...improper. So you will have to leave."

"Now?"

He smiled that tiny little smile that made her gut churn with desire. "No, not right now...I'm not through with you..."

He reclaimed her lips once more and did not release her until she had to leave, when night had deepened outside the window.

…

Meskhenet laid still in the quiet dark, contemplating the past few months, and contemplating her future with L'Vek. Despite one hundred years of unity and brotherhood, cultural divides were still prevalent in many places in regards to marriage, and the way Meskhenet was raised to view marriage was slightly different than here in the West. On this side of the planet, most married for love, some for money, some for convenience. She had come from a family who was no stranger to arranged marriage, and her mother often hounded her about coming home and meeting a nice man she had found, and she always chose rich men. Meskhenet had met most of them and they were pleasant individuals, but she wanted to further her career before moving into her husband's home and having children.

She wondered briefly what L'Vek would think if she told him her mother was very eager for her to meet and marry a man from India who was an important player in transportation for Southeast Asia, and was also a bachelor on the lookout for a wife. The man from India, Mr. Kharmish Shah if she recalled correctly, was very nice and rather good looking...but he was no L'Vek. Her Vulcan was strong-willed yet composed, restrained and quiet yet possessing a boiling passion beneath his skin. He was a man of contradictions, and she knew some of his traits would drive her up the wall, like his quiet demeanor and reluctance to communicate. They would have to communicate, if this cross-species marriage was going to work.

She pondered how fast their relationship had progressed, and yet...it didn't bother her that much. She knew she loved him, knew she wanted to marry him, and that was that. Western traditions and propriety be damned; she didn't want to spend six months pining away for a full union with him. She wanted him as soon as possible...

Her thoughts then turned to this "bond" he had mentioned, and she made a note to ask him more about it. She was willing to compromise (in fact, she knew compromise would be essential for this to work), and whatever he needed, she would give. That was how love worked. Infatuation is all fine and good when everything's wonderful, but the true test of love was hard times and trials. She knew she could see them through, if he were there to help her, at her side. She wanted him. She needed him. She was the only man she had ever truly considered for a long-term relationship, and the longer she pondered, the easier it became to imagine the rest of her life with him at her side.

As if summoned here by her thoughts, L'Vek walked in the door and slowly approached her bed, and she smiled at him, turning on her side and scooting further away from him, giving him room to join her on the biobed. She patted the space in front of her so he would get the hint, and he smiled ever so slightly and laid down beside her.

"How are you feeling, _ashaya_?" he murmured. It was very late, so they would have to be quiet. She scooted a little closer to him and stroked his cheek.

"I feel just fine," she murmured. "Great, actually, now that you're here. I need to ask you a question."

He raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

She opened her mouth, about to pop the question, but she frowned slightly. "Tell me more about this bond you mentioned."

His eyes darkened and his fingers trailed along her jawline. "It is a telepathic link that connects mates, or husband and wife in your language. With the lowest of bonds, a base bond, the two can sense each other's emotions, and-"

She held up a hand. "Emotions? You're Vulcan."

He smiled ruefully and placed his hand on her cheek. "You doubt I have emotions, Meskhenet?" She felt something tugging at the edges of her consciousness. "Allow me to dispel that."

Suddenly, she felt a flood, a myriad of emotions, from anger to happiness to rampant desire to sadness to pure and utter joy. And a possessive, dark cloud that longed to creep inside her, longed to have her...his desire for her. But the cloud was also protective of her, was willing to sacrifice everything to see her alive and content, and she thought it was the closest thing to love she would feel from him.

And then she felt it. Gnawing, deep as the darkest ravine in the ocean, an all-consuming feeling for her, something deeper than the mind...it was as if she were peering into his soul. It wasn't until he pulled away that she realized tears were streaming towards her hair, and she cupped his cheek in return.

"I never knew you...felt that way," she breathed, "so deeply...will I have to feel that all the time?"

She saw a spark of satisfaction in his eyes, and his gaze softened. "No, my mental barriers and disciplines will shield you from most of that. It will be like a flash of insight, not a constant bombardment."

"And you can feel the same from me? Can you handle that? I'm human, and I don't have discipline."

His expression was unreadable. "What disciplines I use to keep my own emotions in check I can use to ensure your emotions do not affect my control. However...my goal is to keep you content and satisfied, so I will do my best to understand you. I want you to be happy with me."

"I will be," she whispered. She paused a moment, then continued. "What about deeper bonds?"

"With the base bond, a couple can also share dreams. With a full bond, that sharing of emotions becomes much more pronounced, and we can speak to each other telepathically."

"I don't have any-"

"Yes, you do," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "You will be able to speak to me, and I to you. This is...a very intimate thing to have, so please do not undertake this lightly. However, if you do choose to undergo this with me...I will see to it that you are happy. I will do everything I can to please you."

"And you need this bond?"

He nodded. "Yes, it is an essential part of our marriages...of our mating rituals," he said, the tips of his ears going slightly green. "And...if I may share my thoughts...it is lonely without a bond in my mind...I believe once you acclimate to it, to lose it is...traumatizing."

She cupped his cheek again. "How do you initiate the bond?"

He stiffened and cupped her face right underneath her jawbone, and she felt a pleasant thrumming in her mind, an acute awareness of him, his emotional state...he was agitated, fighting something, fighting an urge...

"I know not the details," he whispered. "It is instinctive."

She closed her eyes and smiled, examining the thrumming at its effect on her...it was rather nice.

"I like it," she whispered. "I like the feel of you...you're rather soothing, _habibi_."

His grip on her tightened before he tore his hand away. He slipped off the bed and stood by her side, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. At her frown, he bowed his head.

"Do not think for a moment that I find your liking of it disagreeable...it is quite the reverse...and that is why I had to move. I...I was close to forming that bond with you now."

"I wouldn't have minded," she assured him, sitting up and touching his shoulder with a gentle hand. "I like the feel of you. I like it...I miss you already."

His eyes flooded with desire and helplessness, and he stepped forward and pressed his forehead to hers. "What are you saying, Meskhenet? Do you wish this with me?"

"Yes," she said firmly. "When are we getting married?"

He looked up at her, his eyes growing dark, and he kissed her lips without further ado. She whimpered softly and returned his kiss with eagerness, and he tore himself away.

"How you try my patience, _ashaya_," he breathed. "You are beautiful beyond words, and intelligent, and you are eager for me...you make it very hard to resist temptation."

She grinned wickedly at him and leaned in close. "Are you calling me a temptress?"

A soft growl escaped his throat. "You _are _a temptress, beloved...the worst kind..."

She giggled and kissed his lips ever so gently, and he cupped her cheek. The buzz in her brain was less pronounced, and she sighed into his touch.

"When you have healed from your concussion and the doctors are certain there is no permanent damage, I will form the bond with you," he growled, his voice firm. "And then you will be _mine_!"

She moaned. "And you won't know what hit you...when I get you to myself," she purred, and he stepped back from her.

"Temptress," he said with a smirk. "Do not play with fire today, unless you want to stay in this infirmary for a few more days."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Do you _really _last that long, _habibi_? I won't believe it until I see it."

He quickly stepped up to her, leaning in just close enough to brush his lips to hers. "Ah, but if you accept me, you will see it...oh, Meskhenet..."

"Days of making love to you, L'Vek?" she breathed. She groaned with desire. "Oh, what have I done to deserve such heaven?"

His entire demeanor changed at that, and suddenly she felt a crackle of electricity between them.

"I must leave now," he whispered, his hands balled into fists. "Else I will dishonor myself and you. But one day soon..."

He turned on his heel and hurried out of the room, but turned at the door and gave her a dark and heated stare. She laid back down when the door was closed, and she shifted, aware that the apex of her thighs was wet with anticipation.

…

The doctors released Meskhenet from their care the next morning, and he got a message from her that afternoon to meet her at the studio that evening...late in the evening. She said in her message that she wanted to teach him tango, and to come in loose fitting clothing. He changed after dinner, got a pass, and left the Consulate without telling anyone else. He did not let his condition show, but with all his effort continued to act like a proper Vulcan, a sane man, a man who was in control of his primal urges. The secretary did not dare question him anyway, so he left without further ado, not even bothering to wrap his robes tightly around himself against the coolness of the night. The chill felt good against his slightly fevered flesh.

He arrived at the dance studio irked, nearly angry, as all the noise and irrational behavior was fraying his nerves. But the dance studio was quiet and dark, lit only by the light outside. He thought perhaps he was early, or that she wasn't coming, but he saw her office door was open and the light was on. He walked toward the office and peeked inside, but he only saw a bag on the chair. She was not in her office. He glanced around the studio once more and began to pace back and forth, and a thousand thoughts pounded against his skull as he waited.

What if she wasn't coming? What if her declaration was false and she was afraid of him? What if she had tricked him? What if some other male had captured her attention and she had chosen the new male over him? What if something had happened to her? What if Carter had accomplices, and those colleagues had kidnapped his Meskhenet? The thought that she might not love him anymore was plaguing him, tormenting him, and he turned abruptly when he heard the door to the girls' dressing room open.

His Meskhenet strode out of the dressing room in a tight-fitting red number, her thighs exposed to his vision with every step she took, her shapely figure revealed by the thin fabric. Her hair was pulled back tight into a bun, but she had let a few strands of hair loose, framing her face. He let his eyes rake over her as she slowed her pace and quirked her thin, dark brow, as if in challenge. The look in her eyes made most of his doubt disappear, but he still felt he would have to claim her and bond with her to dispel any doubt. She would be open with him, and there would be no secrets between them. He took in a deep breath and started toward her, and it felt as if he were a _sehlat _stalking fresh prey.

"Meskhenet," he purred, raising his hand as if to offer her his fingers, but he caught himself and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear instead. "You look...desirable..." He could think of nothing else to say, and the blunt truth was forced from his lips, his inner beast clamoring for the words to be said. "You have always been exquisite in my eyes, but tonight you are truly..." He let his gaze speak what could not be spoken, as no words were fitting enough to describe her beauty, her grace, her tempting curves and luscious lips.

Her eyes gleamed in pleasure and she put her hands on her hips. "Sweet talker," she murmured, kissing his lips briefly before taking his hand in hers. He breathed in sharply at the promiscuous gesture, but she quickly explained that most classical dance on her world required close contact like this. His other hand went high on her back, and his elbows were pointed outward, poised yet relaxed, as she put it. His posture was stiff from her proximity, but he tried his hardest to concentrate on her directions.

Slowly, over the course of an hour or so, she taught him the steps to tango, and he followed along like an Earth dog on a leash, slave to her whims, yet desperate to have her, to take her. It was torture to dance like this, to have her leg wrap around his waist, to have her pliant, soft body pressed to his, to have her heady, exotic scent swirl around in his noise with every breath he took. It was torment, and he was wavering by the time she thought he was ready to do the dance with music.

The wailing violins made his hair stand on end, but even more disturbing (in an erotic way) was the way his Meskhenet walked toward him after setting down her PADD. She stalked him as she had stalked her friend, and he followed suit. They circled each other, around and around, until the music demanded that they join together. He obeyed the music and pulled her roughly into his arms.

He walked her backward, pausing only for a simple 360 degree turn, and as she spread her right leg out away from them, he supported her with his knee, his blood boiling as her groin touched him. His skin was veiled but by simple cloth, easily removed...

He gritted his teeth and continued the dance, walking backwards with her as effortlessly as he would rattle off the square root of 1,984, but something in the way she looked at him made his control crack deeply. When he had her in his arms again, he held her closer than was necessary and gave her a searing stare, hoping that her blood was boiling as hot as his. His fingers luxuriated over the soft flesh of her shoulder and captured her hand again, and he dipped her, wanting to drop her down onto the ground, wanting to throw her over his shoulder and haul her into that office...he resisted, and the dance continued, but his patience and control was fading fast.

The tempo quickened, and his blood followed suit, making sweat bead on his forehead as their turns and dips and twists became wilder, heated, passionate, unrestrained. Their dance lost some of its graceful smoothness in exchange for a growing sense of urgency, and he realized he might not hold out until the end of the evening. The dance was heating his blood, her dark and heated gaze was making the beast within him roar. It was maddening, torturous bliss, hellish heaven. He could not stand this any longer. He had to have her, or he would go insane with passion, with rage, with every unchecked emotion he had been shoving away for the last seven years. He was like a pressure cooker. The steam was longing to be free, but the cook would not let the pressure release. He needed release. He needed Meskhenet...

The dance intensified even more, and he stopped pretending this was just a dance. This was a prelude, he decided, to an introduction to her new life as his mate. He knew now that he could not leave this studio without at least tasting her again. He needed something to tide him over until the time was right...and his Time was upon him. It would be here in a matter of days, and she was like a sumptuous meal dangling before a starving man.

The drum beat pounded in his ears, the beast rattled against the cage of his chest, her breathing was labored, heavy, her eyes were dark and spoke of the passionate depths, the dam that held back the flood of emotions that were even now finding cracks and seeping through. He eyed her with open desire, hoping to communicate his intentions to her so she would not be completely taken by surprise, and as the last beats thundered in his ears, he dipped her low, almost to the floor, and froze. She panted in his arms, rousing his blood further, and after several seconds of staring at her with naked lust, he growled and pulled her to her feet.

He took her by the hand and dragged her to her office, and he shoved her onto her desk, determined to have what he had been craving for months. Fever was pricking his blood; the primal strings within him were humming with the ancient desire: _take a mate. Take Meskhenet. She is yours, so have her._

The door shut with a satisfying click, and he locked the door behind him.


	16. Confessions

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (L'Vek and Kuvak, and Emmie and Tawny), Caren Rose, dinopoodle, maba7x, and the anon reviewer. "Guest", the Gardner element will be more important later on. :)**_

_**A/N: The first part of the chapter is M, and the rest is mature, so younger readers or nay-sayers, bail out now. You have been warned; don't like, don't read.**_

The door was closed, locked, they were alone, and the fever was boiling his blood to a fever pitch. She gasped as he gripped her thighs and jerked her forward, letting her feel his want growing between his legs. He kissed her furiously without another word, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, a prelude of the things to come, an echo of the actions he wanted to take with her.

She moaned and wrapped her arms tightly around him, whimpering as he tugged her skirt up to sit around her waist. She was wearing practically nothing underneath the dress, and the fact that she was so scantily clad was making his blood rise even more.

"You are a goddess," he growled, nipping at her bottom lip, "a queen among men...you gave me tea." He tugged her closer. "You gave me your food." His lips trailed hotly along her jawline. "You tempted me with your cinnamon rolls." His teeth toyed with her flesh, sucking her, licking her, savoring the taste of her sweat. "You flaunted your hips at me...and now you must pay the price for your careless flirtation!"

"And what price is that, _habibi_?" she murmured, rearing her head back, giving him more access to her flesh. "If it makes you mine, I regret nothing."

He faltered. He wasn't expecting her to be this eager; his fevered paranoia with the lack of a bond was getting the better of his nerves, and he gently bit her neck, barely piercing her skin. She moaned. "I...I have three times your strength, beloved. I may hurt you...I could kill you..."

She grinned wryly. "Oh, you may be the death of me, but not in that way. I'm tougher than I look."

He did not understand her meaning, but it appeared she was still willing to be his. "Then I will not hesitate. You will be mine...and as a reward for that, I will initiate you to my ministrations now..."

He ripped through the flimsy fabric that concealed her womanhood and growled in her ear as he found rampant wetness. _Excellent_. She was hot and ready for him, and he tugged her so that her rounded bottom was at the edge of the desk, and he knelt before her, inhaling the scent of her flowing passions. The aroma of her arousal was making him feel intoxicated, and he closed his eyes as he offered her a lick.

She tensed and gripped his hair, and she moaned with an abandon that only served to spur him on. He went at her with fervor and urgency, savoring the taste of her, chuckling darkly at her airy moans and desperate cries. His fingers replaced his tongue, and his mouth rooted around for her throbbing bud, and when he took it between his lips, she trembled violently and tugged roughly at his silver hair.

"L'Vek!" she screamed, and he swirled his tongue around the little bud of passion as she whimpered. His fingers explored the lovely moisture that coated her walls, and he continued his work with eagerness, longing to see her spill, longing to hear her scream his name again .

Just as he felt her clench in preparation for release, he moved his mouth away from her center and bit down hard into her luscious inner thigh. She screamed and spilled for him, and he continued biting her even as she trembled through the high.

Even when she came down from it (her delectable flesh drenched in sweat), he continued to suck at her iron-laden blood, relishing the taste, his mind hazy with lust and fever.

"I...I want a turn now..." she breathed, and he pulled away and looked up at her, frowning in confusion. But when he paused, she took the moment to relieve him of his pants and undergarment, and she shoved him back a step and got on her knees.

He felt tears spring into his eyes at her next move, and the beast was howling in his ears. His blood was pumping faster and faster, his heart raced, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his trembling hand found her beautiful dark hair. He was shaking even as he pushed her further, and she groaned as he forced her to take more. It wasn't a groan of protest, either, and he gripped a fistful of her hair to stop himself from choking her with too much force. He was dying to thrust, but the last remnants of his sanity told him to be still, to wait for a less necessary orifice to make a show of his strength and stamina.

He gasped as the tension flowed out of his body with his seed, and he collapsed forward, his hands pressing down into the desk, holding him up as she got back on her feet.

"Meskhenet," he said with a strangled sob. He was barely able to stop himself from bursting into tears, and she cupped his cheek with gentleness.

"Did you enjoy that?" she whispered, kissing his forehead.

"I _relished _it," he growled, gripping the desk with almost enough force to snap the wood. "I...Meskhenet, I must go. I cannot stay here and risk...forgive me..."

He did not even dare to look back at her as he bolted out the door, refusing to let the beast hurt his beautiful Meskhenet. He had to...he did not know what he had to do. Part of him wanted to rush back and let the fever run its course, but part of him was wailing in agony, abhorring the thought of taking her so roughly. She deserved gentleness, tenderness...like the way Kuvak handled Tawny. Meskhenet deserved that, not...he was in torment, and he stumbled through the gate of the Consulate with no recollection of how he got there.

He made straight for his rooms, but a gentle hand stopped him from going further, and he rounded on the person. He relaxed when he saw Kuvak's face swim before his vision.

"Come," his cousin said gently, leading him to his room. He sat on the couch and let L'Vek pace, and he walked a straight line back and forth over the light carpet, pondering his options. He could return to Vulcan and take his clan mother's choice, but his mind instantly rejected the thought, and it was gone from his mind so fast that it might as well have not been there. He could contact Meskhenet and explain the situation, beg her to take him, but he did not think he could tell her without breaking down into tears or taking her without finishing the explanation. And he didn't think he could be coherent either. He might not even have the will to speak English. He certainly didn't now.

"_Kuvak, I cannot tell her._"

The tips of Kuvak's ears were turning green, but he swallowed thickly and nodded. "_I will tell her, for your sake, L'Vek. I should not pry, but...to ease this, can you tell me what occurred tonight? Did she reject you?_"

"_No_," he breathed. He took a deep breath and turned to his cousin, blinking away tears. "_I do not know how to handle...I should tell her...how can I though?_" He could not tell his cousin the details, but could only hope he understood his meaning. It was hard to inflict fever on one who cared nothing for you and was there out of a sense of duty, but it was much harder to inflict it on one who loved you with all her heart and wanted nothing more than to please you. The possibilities of hurting her filled him with crippling fear and disgust at himself, and he glanced one more time at Kuvak, who frowned, and he departed for his rooms to meditate.

…

Emmie looked up from her work as the doorbell rang, and she called for her visitor to enter. She leaned back in her chair when Kuvak walked in, and Commodore Forrest was hanging in the doorway. He took one look at her and left. Kuvak stepped forward once the door was locked.

"Please understand, Ms. Sadir, if I could have avoided this conversation, I would have. But L'Vek's...condition has taken a turn for the worst, and he has been removed from the Consulate to another location."

She frowned and stood up. "What's wrong? Where is he?"

"We found a remote vacation home in the mountains. He will stay there until...Ms. Sadir, please sit down."

She obeyed and remembered her manners, and he took the seat she offered him.

"What's going on? He bailed last night without so much as a goodbye. The least he could do is say he wasn't feeling well. I would have understood. I swear...I love Tawny with all my heart, but if you lead her on like that and then just quit, I will do my best to end your relationship. She deserves better."

"Ms. Sadir, did he make advancements on your person? Please...be honest."

She paused. "Yes, and I made advancements too. I'm tired of waiting."

Kuvak's eyes went slightly wide, but he cleared his throat and closed his eyes before speaking again. "What I am about to say must stay between us, Ms. Sadir. Do not repeat this to anyone."

She frowned and stared at him for a long moment. "You have my silence, Kuvak."

He nodded, then took a deep breath. "Every seven years...all mature Vulcan males experience...a loss of control. It is a nuerochemical imbalance...if it is not reversed, it is deadly. We...call it _plak tow_...I think in your tongue that translates to 'blood fever'. To die from it is agonizing."

She straightened. "Why did you remove him to a vacation home? Shouldn't he be in the hospital?"

"No," Kuvak breathed. "You must understand...to cure this imbalance, the male must...mate."

She stared at him, nonplussed, until the answer came to her. "You mean...have sex?"

He nodded, and she gasped. "Wow...that's why you keep it secret..."

"A secret our enemies could use against us, if they knew."

She stared at him. "So you want me to go to him?"

"He will have no other but you. When he was removed early this morning, he was murmuring your name. He must have you, Meskhenet, or he will die."

A bubble of amusement rose in her chest as something L'Vek said came back to her, but she shoved it back down. "How long do I...mate with him?"

The tips of Kuvak's ears were mint green by now, an a flush of green spread over his cheeks. "Two, three days at the most. Some fevers last for as long as five days."

Her eyes widened. "Five days? He wasn't kidding..."

Kuvak frowned. "He has spoken of this to you?"

"No, no, but I think he was hinting at it...he tried to tell me before, but he couldn't...why did he bail last night? I was ready to do whatever he wanted, and if he needs to mate, why not just have me then?"

Kuvak shook his head. "He fears hurting you, Ms. Sadir...the _pon farr_, as this is called...it is an ugly ritual under the wrong circumstances. He fears for your life...we possess three times your strength, and women have died from this."

She frowned. "Why?"

"To be thrown onto the rocks by a Vulcan who is completely lost to his emotions...to..." he blushed, "be driven so hard...infection may set in. It is...not mating as you would know it. It is...violent, animalistic..." He stopped and closed his eyes, and Emmie stood and accessed her console. Once she was signed out, she grabbed her purse.

"What about food? Should I get some? And water too?"

Kuvak looked shocked. "Meskhenet, you are not obligated to bow to our culture. You do not have to risk your life to save his."

"Yes, I do," she said firmly. "You said he was going to die if I don't...help him. What are the chances of me dying?"

He sighed. "I do not know. But...deaths are now rare...it was worse in ancient times. Still, the fact that you are human...Vulcan women are built to handle this, and we could try to make him accept a Vulcan woman to aid him through this-"

"Hell no," she growled, her mind dwelling on that woman who brought L'Vek the water. It seemed like years ago... "I love him, and I want him. I don't want any other woman...touching him like that."

Kuvak's eyes widened, and he was silent for a few minutes. "Ms. Sadir, your devotion is quite admirable. I believe...I believe you may succeed."

She smiled and thought of L'Vek murmuring her name as they took him to a holding place. She still had questions, but Kuvak seemed eager to get on their way, so she followed him out of her office. Forrest was waiting at the front desk of the office, and he walked toward them when he noticed they were coming.

"Now that you've talked to her, can I know where L'Vek is?" the human asked. "Where are you going, Ms. Sadir?"

"Emergency. I'm needed elsewhere. I have vacation time coming, and I'm taking it now."

She smiled reassuringly at him, but Forrest persisted. "Does this have anything to do with L'Vek? Why didn't he come into work today?"

She rolled her eyes at Kuvak (making sure to turn away from the commodore – he was her boss, after all), and she turned to Forrest and shook her head. "Ask Kuvak. I haven't seen him today."

She continued on down the hall, out into the open air, and she walked with Kuvak at her heels, determined to do this. Vulcans didn't lie, and this would explain his unusual behavior, his reluctance to stay too long in her presence, the forced endings to otherwise intimate moments between them...it was time to prove her worth, and show him that she truly loved him.

…

L'Vek breathed in and breathed out, letting the mantras swirl around in his head, though they did little to help him. He _needed_...he needed Meskhenet, _now_. The fever was truly upon him, _plak tow_, burning through his blood, searing his synapses, turning every ounce of control to raging flame. There was no control, no logic...only emotion, and burning need.

The old doubts were still plaguing him: what if Meskhenet decided not to come? What if she didn't love him anymore? What if fear kept her from choosing to help him, and he died here? But then, he would have her aid or nothing, because no other stirred him like she did. She was his mate, his one and only...but what if the cultural divides that kept them apart proved too strong to break down? What if Kuvak and the others decided not to tell her? The thought sent his thoughts into a furious and jealous rage. Kuvak could fool around with that fragile little human, but when it came down to the wire, he would abandon L'Vek's chances with Emmie in favor of pressing some Vulcan tart on him! How could he?

He felt fingers brush up his, and he hissed, squeezing his eyes shut tighter. He couldn't believe it; she had come to him! She loved him, and would help him through the fever! But he felt revulsion through her touch, and he opened his eyes to tell her to leave when he froze.

T'Via was kneeling before him, her fingers still stroking his, and she was scantily clad in gray undergarments. He could see fear resting in her eyes, and he growled and tore his fingers from her touch. She leaned forward as if to persist, but he backhanded her, sending her skidding across the wood floor.

He watched her sit up and stare at him with fearful eyes, and he imagined snapping her neck, if only to get rid of her. The dark beast found pleasure in such a notion, but the tiniest scraps of reason left to him told him to stop, and he did not act on his impulses.

"Go, if you value your life," he growled. "And stay away from my cousin. If you wish to serve me, bring me Meskhenet or let me die in peace! Now _go_, you stupid whore!"

He thought he saw tears spring into her eyes, but he turned away from her and tried to regain a meditative state, and he opened one eye to see her wrap her robe back around herself. She fled out the door.

…

Emmie locked her apartment door behind her, and instead of a cab, she saw a Consulate flitter waiting for her. She thought of what her neighbors might think if they saw it, and she thought about how she had tried to keep her relationship low-key and out of the eyes of the media, but when Ambassador Soval stepped out and ushered her inside, she obeyed without question.

"Kuvak tells me you have agreed to help L'Vek," Soval said, his voice tinged with coldness. Kuvak was seated next to Soval, his arms crossed over his chest. He was glaring at the ambassador, and Emmie's gaze flicked between them.

"Yeah," she said, looking to Kuvak for answers. "Why, does that upset you?"

"This is a Vulcan matter, and should be handled by a Vulcan woman. I want you to reconsider."

"Soval-" Kuvak started, but Emmie held up a hand.

"With all due respect, ambassador, I don't want any other woman touching the man who's going to be my husband, thank you very much," she said firmly. Kuvak's eyes twinkled in something akin to pride, but Soval narrowed his eyes.

"We are only concerned for your safety, Ms. Sadir. Perhaps Kuvak has not impressed upon you the seriousness of the situation. He could kill you."

She paused and sighed, and she stared at Kuvak for a while. "You said mature Vulcans...how old is mature?"

"Sometimes as young as 25 or 30. No later than 60."

She nodded. "So you two have gone through it already?"

Soval looked appalled, but Kuvak's ears turned green again. "Yes," the older man said quietly. "Many times."

"How do Vulcan women handle this?"

Neither of them answered her, and she sighed again. "Ok, this is uncomfortable for you. Or at least that's the impression I got from L'Vek trying to tell me about it."

Soval looked up at her with an almost accusatory glance, but his gaze softened. "Vulcan women...simply take it."

"Do your women go through this too?"

"That is rare," Kuvak said. Emmie nodded and looked down at her hands.

"So do Vulcans enjoy sex?"

Both of the men seemed taken aback at her question, but she pressed on. "Look, if his life is on the line here, and mine too, I need as much information as possible, ok?"

Soval nodded stiffly. "It is a biological function, Ms. Sadir...to do so produces offspring, and releases dopamine in the brain. Both our species are hardwired to enjoy it."

"What about your women? I know L'Vek seemed to be enjoying himself..."

Kuvak blushed again. "Most have learned to suppress the mating drive. It is nothing more than a means to have children for them."

The shuttle was quiet for several more seconds, and she realized they hadn't taken off. "Ambassador, let's go. I'm not going to change my mind."

"Ms. Sadir...this ritual is violent and primitive. It will not be the L'Vek you know. He will be wild, insane...he will take you without stopping for hours and hours on end. If you ask him to stop, he will not. If you beg, it makes no difference. You are nothing more than flesh to feed his hunger. I ask you...please reconsider. For your own safety."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm not letting some other woman get that from him. That's _my privilege_ now. Mine, not some...Vulcan bimbo...no offense."

Soval looked at her like she had sprouted a third arm, and Kuvak's eyes were gleaming with a strange mix of amazement and embarrassment. Emmie laughed at the looks on their faces?

"Have either of you slept with a human woman?"

Kuvak blushed, and she giggled again, but Soval narrowed his eyes. He ordered the pilot to take off, and Emmie leaned back, satisfied.

"You see, sirs, the thought of being so...needed and desired...rather arousing, if you ask me." She checked her nails and let them ponder that. Then she drew her PADD from her bag and wrote a message to Brad, telling him she had to see to an emergency and wouldn't be in to class for about a week. Finals were coming and she hated to bail out now, but L'Vek was much more important than her class. Brad could cover for her until she came back.

"Ms. Sadir, your enthusiasm is inspiring," Kuvak said, and she looked up at him and smiled.

"You think Tawny is shy and pure and just a wide-eyed doe, and yes, I know for a fact she's a virgin...but I think you'll have a little vixen on your hands when you get her to yourself."

"When?" he breathed, and Soval glanced at him, a mixture of incredulity and amazement on his face, as if to say _You too?_

"Yes, I think it's a matter of 'when', not 'if'. She adores you, Kuvak...if desire didn't get her through this for you, her compassion and love would. She's capable of so much love...I'm lucky to have a little of it."

Kuvak looked inordinately pleased and amazed, and Soval looked contrite. "I did not mean to imply that your species was...inadequate. I was simply concerned for your safety."

She smiled wryly. "Vulcan women aren't that enthusiastic about this, are they?"

Both men shook their heads. "They fear us, and are disgusted by us," Soval admitted, and she knew his statement was weighty. "They hate it as much as we do."

"I don't hate L'Vek," she assured him. "Quite the opposite. I'm going because first and foremost, I love him, and I don't want him to die. I don't want some other woman helping him out. How would you feel if some other guy slept with your wife, ambassador?"

Soval's ears turned green and his eyes darkened.

"And really...I've been wanting to have him for myself ever since we first met. He caught me in a stairwell..." She trailed off, a slight grin creeping over her face as she reminisced. She glanced up at Soval, who was watching her carefully. "So don't judge humans before you have all the facts."

The ambassador nodded. "We will see, but I promise not to be so hasty to judge your relationship," he said softly. "He may resist you at first." The flitter began its descent, and Emmie's heart started to race in excitement and fear.

"No he won't," she protested, glancing down at her clothes, which concealed the same red underwear she had worn that night at the ski lodge. L'Vek had looked like he thought them attractive on her, so she had chosen to wear them today. "Not for long, anyway."

Soval's ears turned green, but Kuvak was positively beaming with pride. "Sleep when he sleeps, otherwise you will get no rest, and this will be much harder for you. Oh," he blushed as well, "he may...hold you down."

She felt a pulse of arousal go through her at that, and her thighs were beginning to get slick. "And to think, when I was a kid I thought you emitted spores or something..."

Soval quirked an eyebrow, but Kuvak looked amused. "As your people say," Soval said firmly, "good luck. Contact us when the fever has run its course, and we will send a flitter to pick you up."

She nodded and turned to Kuvak. "Thank you for involving me. I didn't want this to fall to that other lady Tawny told me about."

Kuvak turned away. "She is of no consequence. Good luck, Ms. Sadir. Your service honors us."

"Your willingness to fork over one of your men to my whims honors me," she said with a grin as she shouldered her bag. Soval's eyebrow flicked upward again.

"Really, does L'Vek know what he's getting into? Do you think he can handle me?"

Kuvak's eyes brightened, but Soval turned away. "The best of luck," he murmured, and she turned to the house. A guard met her at the end of the walkway and escorted her to the door, and once inside, she heard a key turn in the keyhole. The door was locked, and there was no turning back now.

…

L'Vek breathed in and out, trying his hardest to suppress the agony that was gathering at the edges of his consciousness. He would have to give into it eventually, since Meskhenet was not coming, but for a little while, he could stave off the pain, could stave off death. At the thought of his love, a tear streamed down his cheek, and he did not have the will to stop it. Another tear followed the first, but they dried up in a bout of uncharacteristic bitterness.

He breathed in again, and he gasped as he smelled her scent. She was here, truly this time! She was here to help him! She loved him...she had not abandoned him...she could have run and no one blamed her in the slightest, but she was here!

He opened his eyes and saw her approach, waves of trepidation and excitement washing over him. How...how could she be excited? He could kill her...but it was there, excitement and...did he truly smell arousal on her? Was she already wet for him, ready to be mated? His beast growled within his chest, and it purred at the thought of seeing her thoroughly sexed before the week was out. She set down her bag and set out undoing the buttons of her top, and he was frozen, transfixed by the work of her fingers.

Her shirt slipped from her shoulders, and he let his hungered gaze linger on her breasts, concealed by a lacy red bra. His mouth began to water in anticipation as she reached behind her and unzipped her pencil skirt, and he watched it drop to the floor, his breathing labored, his beast ready to pounce. She was wearing matching red lace underwear, and he thought again that she looked very agreeable in red...but she would look better naked.

She began to...stalk him, and he watched in amazement as she walked a circle around him, her eyes taking him in, burning with lust. Sweat was dripping from his hairline, and his fingertips were flame...he wanted to go to her, tackle her, take her, bond with her, please her in every way...

She walked out of his sight as she went behind him, and he closed his eyes, trying to gather some control. He felt something drop into his lap, and he looked down, staring at her red lace bra, and when he looked up, Emmie was crouched in front of him, holding up her underwear. Her bare body was exquisite to behold, and he took it in with growing need. He was pulsing with desire now, erect, ready to mate, coiled tight like a spring.

She tossed the underwear into his lap and moved so she was kneeling, and she leaned forward, brushing her lips against his. He breathed in deep, her heady scent making him feel intoxicated, and he slowly wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"Please don't run from me," he whispered, pulling away from her lips just enough to speak, and then he claimed her lips again. "And please forgive me..."

"For what?"

"For what I am about to do," he said softly. She cupped his cheek, and the desire to bond with her washed over him again. He would only have to raise his hands and-

She took his hand and brought it to her mouth, and she set her dark gaze on him as she licked his first finger. When she took his middle finger into her mouth, he broke and shoved her to the ground.

His hands were cupping her jaw a moment later, and he stared down at her hungrily, and he wanted to sob at the look of utter devotion on her face. She wanted this...he could feel her pulsating desire through his touch, and he gave himself over to instinct, to the flames, and the heat and hunger rose around him.

_**A/N: The next chapter will be M. You have been warned; don't like, don't read.**_


	17. The Slow, Consuming Burn

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and the host of characters), Ahlysha, Caren Rose, dinopoodle, and maba7x for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**_

_**A/N: Again, fair warning – this chapter is rated M. Don't like, don't read.**_

He was ready, she was wet for him, and he claimed her lips before she could say anything. His hands did not leave her face until the bond was well-established; he quickly tore off his clothes as easily as he would tear paper, and she cried out as he entered her. She was warm and moist and felt perfect wrapped around him, and he moaned in sheer pleasure as she bucked her hips, sending him in deeper.

"Yes," she groaned. "Yes, please...L'Vek!"

Their first coupling was quick and hot, and they were both finished in less than ten minutes. He took her again, not even bothering to separate himself from her, and he gazed down at her with overwhelming lust. She was perfect, and luscious, and everything he had dreamed. And she was eager for him...

The third time was slower, as he allowed his body to feel more of her, more of the alien moisture and the heat, as he allowed his brain to process her lustful whimpers. His breath was loud in his ears, like a wild animal in the throes of barbaric mating in the dark of a forest far away. Everything about this felt so wrong and so right. The air was cool, pleasantly so against his fevered flesh, but there should be sand beneath his fingertips, not a wooden floor. The woman beneath him should be still and quiet, not moaning like a sex slave, wriggling around in the grip of blazing passion. And yet it was so right...his Meskhenet surrounding him, loving him, encouraging him. He felt tears prick his eyes, but he blinked them away as he roared his release, and he growled in pleasure as he felt her shiver, and spill as well.

The fourth time, as they crashed together, he bit her shoulder in a visible place, and she trembled even harder as she spilled that time. The fifth was a slower round, but he roared with it as she bit him back and scratched her fingernails down his back. The wounds she made seemed like vents in a volcano, releasing passion and shaving off time to the breaking point. He gave her one last thrust and she screamed, her voice already hoarse.

Before taking her for another time (he was beginning to lose count, but was it perhaps the eleventh?), he gave her a small break and nibbled along her collarbone, looking for a juicy patch of skin to sink his teeth. She was getting tired and did not go at him as roughly as before, but her will remained strong. He could feel through their new bond a growing sense of contentment, and it pleased him. He smiled down at her before taking her again, and by the time they crashed again, he was laughing with joy. He did not know why he felt so compelled to laugh, but he did, and she laughed as well, cupping his cheek and whispering some sweet nothing in Arabic. He knew the general meaning by checking the bond and repaid the sentiments with a searing kiss. How wonderful it was to have this again, and with his beautiful Meskhenet!

Eventually, when the sun was setting in the west, he realized they were on the floor, and he remembered there was a bedroom at hand, with a comfortable bed for his Meskhenet to sleep. It was a nice moment of clarity, and he took her hand and led her to the hallway. His fever was still blazing in him as hot as ever, and he forgot himself, pushing her up against the wall and thrusting his engorged member into her dripping sex. He pressed his thumb to her throbbing bud as he thrust harder, coaxing her into a fever pitch to match his own. She let loose a noise that sounded like the desert animals in heat, and he sunk his teeth into the soft flesh of her breast for a short moment before digging in deeper down below.

"L'Vek," she whimpered, and he could feel some of her strength return, if only for a few minutes. "Harder!" she cried, spurring him on with a simple command. He took her with all his strength, raising her off the floor, and she howled, shouting his name to the heavens, and they crashed, collapsing against the wall. He had the tiniest sliver of sense not to lean on her too heavily, or smother her, and he finally took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom.

He threw her on the bed, where she summoned him with a wicked grin and a crooked finger, and the dance began again.

…

Meskhenet gasped when he shoved her down onto the floor. She hadn't expected him to acquiesce this quickly, but she supposed the finger-sucking had helped push him over the edge. His hands were at her throat, right underneath her jawbone, and she felt something, like something was pushing in on her brain. Finally, something broke through, _he_ broke through, and she was awash in sensation.

For several moments, none of her thoughts were her own. It was like observing herself from outside her body, or perhaps it was like the moment before one comes to full awareness after a long sleep, and they are disoriented and confused. She was lost on the violent tide of his mind, adrift on a sea of memories and thoughts and emotions that were not hers. An alien presence was in her head, and it took hold of her for a moment before she came to her senses again.

She had no time to ponder the new buzzing sensation in the back of her head, but she felt filled somehow, more complete, and it was a wonderful feeling. Even more wonderful was the feeling of his member thrusting deep within her, and she let herself be consumed by the flames that licked at her mind. She could feel his pleasure, like an echo of her own directed back to her, and it was shared pleasure then, mutually erotic and sensual and sexual and beyond any intercourse she had ever had. This was alien, yet it felt so right, as if this were the moment her life had been building up to, and this moment would unlock thousands of opportunities and new sensations to be explored. It was heaven, and she knew what he meant when he had said one misses the bond when it isn't there.

The flames rose higher, and she screamed with joy as they crashed together.

…

_He was suspended in a dream state, weightless, floating, comfortable...his Meskhenet was feeding him Earth grapes, setting the edible little jewels on his tongue one at a time. She was smiling at him, and he let his tongue tickle the pads of her fingers as she fed him. The grapes were bursting with flavor, sweet with a hint of tartness that opened up his senses..._

_The grapes were all consumed (she ate the last few to tease him), and he watched in fascination as she lowered her head and teased his engorging member...he sighed and laid back, and he felt himself sinking into reality..._

He slowly drifted to consciousness, but the feeling down below, the pulsing, throbbing pleasure did not fade. It intensified, and he realized belatedly that his dream was half-true. His Meskhenet was astride his legs, sucking him gently, lovingly, yet as he woke fully and the fever extended its tendrils back into his mind, her ministrations turned greedy. With growing fervor, she took him, deeper and deeper and deeper until he was moaning and gripping her hair, tugging her this way and that, helpless to her work. He spilled his seed within her beautiful mouth and she did not seem to mind. Just as she had in her office at the dance studio, she swallowed his seed, then crawled up over him.

Her kiss was tender, but the fever demanded something more, and before she could even say "good morning", he had her on her back and was in her. She laughed and bucked her hips, moaning in pleasure as he moved faster and faster. Her soft fingers combed through his chest hair, tugging it to spur him on, and he crashed again to her dark giggles.

Before he could recover, he was on his back, and she stared hungrily down at him, a wicked grin sliding over her luscious lips. They had not separated yet, and she withdrew just enough so he was only just in her, then slammed down over him. He cried out in ecstasy and tears sprung to his eyes at the look of hunger in her features, and she slammed down again, her nails digging into his chest. He hissed and bucked his hips, and she let out another laugh, tugging his chest hair again. He thought he heard a growl escape her parted lips, and she lowered her head and bit him hard, right in the middle of his chest, and she howled with bliss as they finished together. And to think, his clan mother would have had him marry that other woman...he couldn't even remember her name...

"My Meskhenet," he whispered, throwing her down next to him and thrusting his fingers deep into her womanhood, smiling down at her as she writhed in pleasure beneath him. Yes, this was no longer hell, but glorious heaven and ecstasy, and she was perfection personified...

A few more rounds later, and he let her have a small break, and she took the opportunity to run to the living room and grab her bag, and he knew through the bond that she intended to only be apart from him for a few seconds. Still, he followed her to the door and watched as she fetched the bag, and a moment of clarity came over him as she walked down the hallway with the bag in her hands, rooting around for something.

She looked up and smiled at him, and he could feel his heart stabbed with agony and joy. She did not hate him for this...the look in her eyes and the thoughts in her head told him she was eager to have more of him, as much as he was willing to give, and he wanted to give her everything.

He felt his heart shatter further when she fetched some dried fruit out of the bag and began to teasingly feed him, letting his tongue brush across her fingers. It was erotic and only served to arouse him on multiple levels.

It was said in ancient times that the men of a clan would feast before one of their own entered _pon farr_, and since none of them controlled their emotions, the fever was celebrated and welcomed. With the dawn of logic (and thus salvation), that joy was lost. Now the fever was hated, feared, despised, by both parties. And here Meskhenet was smiling at him, feeding him dried apricots and figs, kissing his neck as he chewed the sweet treasures. He vowed then and there to give his life to pleasing this woman, because she was worth every drop of blood in his veins. He would see to her contentment and pleasure, and he would see her swollen with his child...

She finished off the last apricot, and then reached for a water bottle. She drank half and offered him some (quirking her eyebrow as if in teasing challenge), and he accepted it, drinking down the rest. The fever and her eagerness had drained him, and he needed the water. But he tossed the bottle aside and shoved her down, giving her several more rounds as the sun rose to its zenith in the sky.

…

She rested her head on his strong chest, tracing lines of sweat through his spread of steel gray chest hair, and she felt sore and sticky. She needed a shower, and an idea came to mind. He was getting ready to fall asleep, and although Kuvak had said to sleep when he slept, she wanted to delay his rest for a little while.

She crawled up so she was hovering above his lips, and his piercing blue eyes opened. She lightly kissed his lips, and he frowned.

"You...you should rest, Meskhenet," he whispered, stroking her cheek. She smiled down at him.

"Not yet. Come on."

She slipped off of him and crooked her finger in teasing summons, and his eyes darkened as she led him to the bathroom. She could tell through their bond that he was confused, and that the fever was taking over him again. She was barely in the door before he pinned her face-front into the wall, and she moaned at his next move.

Emmie had never tried something like this before, but even crushed to the wall, incredibly sore and exhausted, she whimpered in pleasure at his perfect movements. He had girth and length to pierce her through, and tears sprung to her eyes.

"Yes," she breathed as his mouth found her neck and his teeth dug into her skin. "Yes!"

His breathing became harsher, and hers became a desperate pant, and with one final thrust, they released together. For a long moment, she was floating, weightless, free from everything but this moment...and it was so amazing that by the time she came down, cold tears were staining her cheeks.

He spun her around, his blue eyes pricked with pain, and she kissed him swiftly before he had time to apologize. She took his hand and led him to the shower and started the unit. It was an older model, water, not sonics, and when it reached the right heat, she shoved him in and snapped the door shut behind her.

He was staring at her incredulously, as if she had gone mad, but she simply took the soap and began cleaning his body. After several minutes of staring at her in bewilderment, he did the same for her, his fingers lingering in places, but it seemed like his fever was fading, or perhaps gone.

She discovered several minutes later that he wasn't quite cured, but it appeared that with a few more rounds, he would be himself again, and she felt relief at that. He would be ok...they would be ok.

The water poured over them as he delivered several strong thrusts, giving her release once again, but when he withdrew, he managed to hold out until they returned to bed before taking her again. The sun was below the horizon and the winter day was fading fast, but she felt warm and safe in the bed with him, at home in his arms, and she smiled lovingly up at him as the dance began again.

…

She awoke feeling very sore, but that humming was still there in the back of her brain. She distinctly remembered falling asleep in L'Vek's arms, but as she glanced groggily over at his place on the bed, he wasn't there.

She sat up and looked around the room, and saw a steaming mug of tea waiting for her on the bedside table. She smiled and reached for it, wincing as her muscles protested against the sudden movement. But after a few minutes of light stretching, her muscles didn't complain as much when she slipped from the bed and stood.

She had to grip the bed to move, and she figured now that she didn't have a constant blast of desire running through her, the pain was catching up. She walked gingerly to the door, holding the doorjamb for support, and she slowly made her way down the hall, one hand against the wall, the other clutching the tea.

L'Vek had his back to her, and he was kneeling. He was shirtless, though he had donned pants, and she smiled as she saw her claw marks down his back. She also spied a bite mark on his shoulder, and she set the tea down on the wooden floor and slowly stroked her hands over his chest.

"Good morning, love," she whispered in his ear, kissing the tip. "How are you feeling?"

He did not reply for a minute, but she waited, stroking her fingers up and down his toned chest. "I am the one who injured you, and you ask how I am feeling?" he whispered. She kissed his cheek.

"Of course! You were the one who was guaranteed death if I didn't help you. How are you feeling?" She nuzzled her nose into his shoulder. "Is it over?"

"Yes," he murmured. "I did not expect it to be over this quickly. But I know the fever has passed...and it's all thanks to you."

"Your Meskhenet," she breathed, kissing one of the marks she had given him. He breathed in sharply, but she simply combed her fingers through his chest hair. "Hm...did I bite you enough?"

He turned his head and looked back at her. "What?"

"Did I bite you enough? I mean, you seem to like biting me, and you liked it when I bit you...so did I do it enough?"

She thought she saw tears glimmering in his eyes, and he turned away and faced away from her. She concentrated on feeling him out through the bond, and she felt inner turmoil, a struggle with some dark force that he thought had been caged.

"If you need to go a few more rounds, I'm game," she continued, brushing her parted lips up his neck. He hissed.

"Meskhenet..."

"Ah, I test all that stringent control, don't I? You may as well get used to it, because I'm yours now, and I'm not waiting another seven years to have you. I won't do anything to harm you or destroy what you think is important...but I still want you. I still need you."

She felt him lean back in her arms, and she graced his temple with a light, tender kiss. He made a sound like a wounded animal, and she clutched him tighter.

"Don't tell me it was all a dream, or that you're backing out now."

"No!" he growled. "You are mine!"

She giggled in his ear. "Then answer my question. Do you need to go a few more rounds?"

He sighed, and she saw him close his eyes. "No...no, but I will do whatever it takes to repay you for this. I owe you my life."

"You owe me nothing. Well...a wedding ring would be nice, but if you're not into that sort of thing-"

"If it is a wedding ring you want, a wedding ring you will receive," he said firmly, sitting up and turning toward her. "From this day forward, my life will be dedicated to your contentment."

"And my life will be dedicated to yours," she whispered, and he pulled her into a hungry, desperate kiss.

"Come," he said after several minutes, pulling her carefully to her feet and leading her to a chair. "You must rest, and I will contact the Consulate to arrange transportation. They will be...relieved to know you are alive...that we are alive."

She smiled and leaned back into the chair (he handed her the tea she had set on the floor), and she sipped at it as he accessed the console.


	18. The Aftermath

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and your host of reviews), Caren Rose, Ahlysha, Scarlettbrandi, and dinopoodle for reviewing!**_

_**The later half of this chapter is rated M. You have been warned.**_

Soval paced in his office, at a complete loss. L'Vek had contacted the Consulate an hour ago, and the shuttle had already brought him and his chosen mate back here. It left him speechless to watch Ms. Sadir walk across the lobby with L'Vek, her arm around his shoulders, a mischievous smile gracing her lips, her dark head bent to listen to his words. She did not seem traumatized, or disgusted, or angry, or catatonic, as a rare few Vulcan women were after a man's fever. She seemed happy, perfectly content to let him support her.

He dared not ask for the medical report on her, as that would be an intrusion of her privacy, but he could not deny that he was immensely curious about her condition. She seemed well enough, perhaps nothing more than a few sprained ligaments and overall soreness. In his younger days, he had seen his female cousins, his aunts, the females of his clan come back from their husband's Time with their heads bent low in unspoken shame, their eyes obscured by a thick row of lashes. He always looked away, knowing from his father's instruction that his mate would someday be the woman coming in from the fires, him close at hand but daring not to touch her, not after the hell he had inflicted on her.

He paced back and forth, apprehensive about letting his mind contemplate this situation. He was not sure after leaving her to her fate at the house whether or not she would come out alive, though a great part of him was curious. Had her enthusiasm changed matters? Did it make the fever lighter? Maybe it was her physiology. Vulcans dared not seek human mates, because it had been drilled into their heads that humans were weak, that they would never survive _pon farr_. And yet Ms. Sadir was alive and thriving.

Soval knew in his heart of hearts that the High Command had been prone to corruption for many decades now, and even now they dragged all that was Vulcan deeper and deeper into realms of secrecy. Secrets were all they knew now, a tangled web of pompous superiority and lies. Humans would not last five minutes of _pon farr_, they said.

And this human woman had torn their lies to shreds, walking confidently to the infirmary, her mate at her side.

How would this affect his world, his people, if they knew that human women not only possessed the strength of will to survive this, but were eager and willing to help their mates?

His thoughts were interrupted when his doorchime rang, and his aide Sorak showed in Minister Kuvak, and then left the two of them alone.

"I thought it best to inform you that I will be leaving tomorrow. My work here is done...though I may return some time soon."

Soval nodded, but Kuvak apparently was not done. He handed the ambassador a PADD, and Soval glanced over it.

"You want me to send this Townsend woman to Vulcan?"

"I want you to put in a good word for her. She will be residing at the Earth Embassy on Vulcan soon, and I do not want her to be relegated to some menial task. She has a degree, though I know she wants to go back to school to get another. She could use some experience in the Media and Communications department. See to it, ambassador."

Soval sighed and set the PADD down on his desk, then turned back to Kuvak. "It will be done, minister," he acquiesced with a slight bow. "And it is a relief to see L'Vek alive, and his mate as well...even after more than thirty years among them, they still continue to surprise me."

"They are surprising creatures," the minister agreed, his eyes misting over with contemplation. "I know the High Command has insisted that the humans are weak and unworthy, and would most likely die in the flames...and yet I know this to be a lie. Still...I am concerned for their future...and for mine."

Soval raised an eyebrow. "I do not mean to pry...but does this have to do with that Tawny woman Ms. Sadir mentioned?"

Kuvak's eyes brightened and he nodded. "Never have I encountered such...enthusiasm in all my days. She is not even my wife in name or body yet, and still she touches me as if I am the most fascinating thing in the world..."

"In Ms. Sadir's words, this Tawny 'adores' you." He let the tiniest smile grace his lips. "They have potential even we cannot see, minister. It would be...fascinating to see our people mingled in body, as well as in friendship."

"True," Kuvak said. "But I do not believe it will be so easy to tell her our secrets."

"If I may offer some advice, minister?" He knew he may be stepping over the line, but Kuvak nodded.

"Do not tell her at this time. I believe both of us should work to remove the...stigma surrounding the desire to have a human as a mate. I am sure you and L'Vek are not the only ones who are interested in the humans. They have depths that we do not understand...and I am sure many find that compelling. They are compassionate, curious, and kind at their best, and to this day, they surprise me with their willingness to help each other...their willingness to press on toward a greater future despite all odds."

Kuvak's lips twitched upward in the semblance of a smile. "You share my opinion on the matter, then. We will work to make things easier for others to take a human mate. Judging by Ms. Sadir's reaction...we should proceed with caution, though. This could turn very ugly if taken too far. Their compassion should not be twisted to meet our needs."

Soval nodded darkly. "That is something that I will not allow to happen."

Kuvak bowed his head slightly, then took his leave. "I must contact my clan mother and inform her of L'Vek's status."

Soval nodded again, and he was left alone to ponder.

…

The Vulcan doctor, Tarmik as he was called, finally went away, and Emmie was glad she had asked L'Vek to stay. The doctor, for some inexplicable reason, gave her the creeps, and she didn't want to be alone with him if she could help it.

"You know what we need?" she murmured to him, laying down on the biobed. He sat down on its edge, tentatively holding out his fingers for her to take, and she smiled, eagerly caressing him, and he closed his eyes. She could feel his amazement and joy through their bond, and he smiled ever so slightly for her.

"What is that, _ashaya_?"

"We need another field trip," she murmured. "The pueblo villages of Southwest America are not too far away, no more than an hour's flight by shuttle." She sighed. "Or...we could take the ultimate field trip and get married."

She felt him stiffen, and he growled softly in the dim lights of the room. "Do not speak like that so soon after...I am still not quite myself, and I may be tempted to take you again."

She giggled. "But I meant it. When are we getting married?"

His fingers lingered near her jawline, and she sighed in contentment, loving the buzz of his presence in her mind. She sent that sentiment to him, and he smirked.

"Very soon, _ashaya_, since you find this bond so desirable."

"Am I interrupting anything?"

They both turned and saw Commodore Forrest standing in the doorway, his hands clasped firmly behind his back.

"I haven't heard from either of you in two days," the human man explained. "I decided to come to the Consulate to see if you were ok, and they told me you were here."

Emmie smiled at him and sat up, not wanting the commodore to ask any questions about her condition. She would let L'Vek do the excuse work for her.

"It was a personal matter," L'Vek said stiffly, and she glanced at him. "Though your concern is noted...and appreciated."

"We're fine, commodore," she added with a smile.

He nodded, seemingly knowing not to pry, but she was sure his mind was rife with questions. "And what's this I hear about a wedding?"

Emmie grinned. "Do you want to come? You can be in my party."

L'Vek glanced at her in confusion, and she giggled. "Well, I think it would be nice to have two ceremonies. One your way, and one my way."

He frowned, but she pressed on, leaning further into him and whispering in his ear. "Just think of it as me promising myself to you twice over," she purred with a grin, momentarily forgetting Forrest. "Don't you like the sound of that?"

He pushed an almost overwhelming feeling of arousal and contentment through their bond, and she grinned, taking that as an affirmative.

"Well," the commodore interjected, bringing her back to reality, "I thought the three of us could go out for a drink to celebrate."

L'Vek glanced at her, and she grinned and raised her eyebrows. "Perhaps some time next week," L'Vek conceded, and she smiled in victory.

…

L'Vek followed his beloved into his quarters, suddenly ashamed of the disarray. The fever had sent him into at least one bout of anger, and he had, as the humans said, "trashed" his quarters in one of his fits. She glanced around and looked back at him with pity.

"It wasn't kind to you, was it?" He knew exactly what she was talking about, and nodded. He then began to put his quarters back in order, and she helped him. What made it difficult (other than her seeing the results of his explosive anger) was that she seemed determined to touch him, even after all he had done to her. She brushed the back of his neck with two fingers as they passed each other, she kissed his nose when they dusted side by side, she took off her shirt and pants and worked in her underwear as they continued to clean. He stopped a moment, and his inner beast, though drowsing now, purred at the sight of her in a state of undress, and he swallowed thickly, knowing a bed was close at hand in the next room, and a couch close at hand in this one. There were a thousand different ways he could take her...

She seemed to catch his train of thought and turned away from him, and he wondered briefly if he had frightened or offended her with his thoughts.

The last surface was cleared of shattered glass and dust, and she threw aside her rag and stretched, and he could not help but let his eyes feast on her lovely expanse of flesh. She was wearing black lace underwear today, though he admitted to himself that he thought the red looked more agreeable with her skin tone. Still, his eyes lingered on her sensual curves, the line of her spine...the flesh that her underwear did a poor job of covering. Indeed, it appeared as if she had not donned these undergarments for modesty, but for...

He swallowed thickly and his eyes widened as she reached behind her and unsnapped the clasp of her bra, and it fell free onto the floor. She left it there and walked to the doorway of the bedroom, and against his will, against his better judgment, he followed quickly behind. She stopped at the doorway and glanced back at him, an innocent expression on her face. But she could not hold that face for long, and her expression descended into wicked lust, and she turned even more to summon him with a crooked finger.

He was at her back before she even reached the bed, and her black lace underwear was on the floor, his fingers tracing around her womanhood. She groaned and leaned back into his chest, and his other hand reached up and tore his robes from his body in three easy tugs. He tossed the cloth aside and thrust his fingers deeply into her, and she howled in pleasure.

"Yes!" she moaned, the most wonderful whimper escaping her luscious lips. He traced up the line of her neck with an open-mouthed kiss, and she trembled in his arms as he bit down hard high on her neck. His mark would be visible and hard to conceal with her hair, and his beast howled in victory. All would know that she was his! All would know that she was Meskhenet, wife of L'Vek!

She reached behind her and stroked her fingers blindly down his face, and he pressed his now-engorged manhood roughly into the base of her spine, letting her feel his need.

"Yes!" she moaned again, bucking her hips against his hand. "Yes, more!"

It took everything in his power not to throw her down on the bed and having her, and he concentrated on pleasing her with his fingers instead. She whimpered and moaned, pushing back into him, as if she wanted nothing more than for him to continue the dance they had begun two days ago.

He realized that he had not had any sort of sexual contact like this outside the bounds of fever, and it was a wonderful feeling, hearing his Meskhenet moan and whimper, feeling through the bond her rampant desire for him, letting his hardened manhood touch her flesh, in prelude to those dances they had explored in his fever. And now with clarity of mind, he could take her, and experience that bliss, but after she crashed over his waiting hand, he laid her gently on the bed and held her trembling form to his, his arms protecting her, encircling her.

"When you are fully recovered, we will do anything you wish," he whispered, kissing the top of her endearingly rounded ear. "But the doctor said that you needed time to heal, and that you needed rest. So sleep now, beloved, and I will sleep with you. Neither of us has had adequate rest since my fever."

She moaned in protest and nuzzled against him, but he held firm. "Insatiable human," he growled playfully, nipping at her ear. "When you are healed to my satisfaction, I will fulfill your every desire. I will make you my wife, in name and in body." He glanced down at her flat abdomen and traced two fingers over it, causing her to gasp. "I will make you plump and ripe with my child."

"Don't talk like that, or I'm going to ignore the doctor's advice and start work on getting plump tonight."

He smirked and kissed her temple. "Sleep, Meskhenet. We'll have time for that later."

She moaned in protest once more, but her eyes were already closing, heavy with sleep, and soon she was deep in slumber, safe in his arms, and he pulled her closer to his body and fell into sleep with her.

…

Kuvak folded another shirt neatly and placed it carefully in his travel bag, satisfied that he would not be parted from his new beloved for long. Soval had fallen right in line, and would put in a good word for Tawny. And he would have a word with L'Vek so Tawny could intern with Meskhenet at Starfleet Command, for perhaps a month, to have her in a more comfortable environment before he moved her to Vulcan and began his true courtship. She would be his within a year, less if he worked hard, and he would have to work hard, because his fever was approaching.

His thoughts lingered on Tawny, and he paused, his cheeks growing warm as he imagined initiating her to the marriage bed, slowly and tenderly making love to her...but only if she wished it. He sighed and continued packing, hoping his future would turn out the way he wished it. He still had so much to learn about her, things about her past that he knew she had cast into dark recesses of her mind, and there was so much to do in the meantime. Soval had employed him to changing the Vulcan people's view of human/Vulcan relationships, and that was no easy task.

He turned when he heard the door open, and he smiled slightly at Tawny, reaching toward her, then realizing that he was offering two fingers to her. He could not extend that gesture, not until they were base bonded. And besides, she did not know what it meant.

Her eyes fell on his suitcase, already half-full of clothes, and then she glanced back at him, an unspoken question in her red-rimmed eyes. He guessed that she had been crying, and he immediately fetched her some water and pressed it on her.

"Drink, Tawny. What has upset you?"

She took a sip of the water, then took a deep breath. "Y-you're l-l-leaving," she stammered, fresh tears springing to her eyes. He sighed and folded another shirt.

"Yes, I am...however..."

He approached her and stroked his finger down her cheek, wiping away her tears, and she smiled wanly up at him."

"H-however?"

"You will see me soon. I have ordered that you be given an internship at Starfleet Command, in the Media and Communications department. And once you have some experience...you will move to Vulcan, at the Earth Embassy in Shi'Kahr...is that agreeable to you?"

Her eyes widened and her tears ceased, and he gazed down at her in satisfaction as she struggled to find words to say. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.

"Wow," she breathed. "M-moving to V-Vulcan? I-I...h-how? I-I...I-I d-don't have..."

"Hush," he whispered, pressing his lips briefly to hers to silence and calm her. "I have made all the arrangements and will pay for your expenses."

"W-why?"

He paused and stared down at her, his lips hovering above her lips, and he could not reply with words. So he kissed her with aching tenderness and let her feel his hunger through his touch, and somehow, against his better judgment, his hands fell perfectly in place to initiate a base bond. He could feel her mind pressing in on the edges of his consciousness, and it was so tempting to form the bond then and there.

_Do it,_ his beast purred. _She will be with you always, she will be your_ telsu. It dug its claws into him further. _And she will have no choice but to come to you when your fever arrives. She will be forced to come...the bond cannot be denied..._

He gazed deeply into her beautiful wintergreen eyes, wondering if she would be amicable to bonding with him.

She kissed him again, desperately, as if this was their last day together and she would never see him again, and he groaned into her mouth as her lips hungrily took him.

Somehow, her legs wrapped around his waist, and he growled, nipping at her lips. He breathed in sharply when her slender legs wrapped around his waist, and his manhood hardened at the contact. Something about her kiss was breaking all inhibitions inside him, and he pushed her up against the wall, a little rougher than he meant to, and with her legs still wrapped tightly around him, he began grinding himself into her pelvis, his fingertips trailing up and down her jawline, his mouth salivating for a taste of her. He would not be denied any longer!

He bit down hard into her neck without warning, and she cried out. He thought for a moment that he had hurt her and was about to pull away when she whimpered, and her head lolled to one side, giving him more access to her flesh. He growled and bit down again, making the mark scar, and she moaned in pleasure.

As he suckled at her wound, he spread her legs even wider and toyed with the hem of her pants. The back of her thighs were pressed to the wall, but he was able to put enough space between his groin and hers to slip his deft fingers down her pants. He traced her femininity with the tips of his fingers, teasing her as he licked at the new wound, and his thumb moved up and pressed at her bud.

"Tawny, you are mine," he growled, and she gasped and whimpered. "Mine..._mine_..._mine!_"

He blinked rapidly, bringing himself out of the fantasy, and his cheeks burned when he heard her pant. She must have caught glimpses of it with his hands cupping her face like that, and he groaned inwardly. Surely she would run from him, now that she knew what he had longed to do with her since he realized he desired her.

"Kuvak, what just happened?" she said, her voice low and husky, her tongue unhindered. He finally ripped his hands from her face and sighed, laying his cheek on the top of her head.

"Please do not think ill of me," he begged, but she nuzzled into him.

"H-how was I-I able to s-see that?"

"I was touching you...with my hands," he explained slowly, closing his eyes. _Please don't hate me, _he begged her silently. _Please don't run._

"Y-you sure know how to...make a girl wet," she murmured into his shirt, and he looked down at her in confusion as a lovely pink blush spread over her cheeks. He understood what she was saying and his jaw dropped slightly, and his brow furrowed as he gently kissed her.

"I would never take you so roughly," he said, barely pulling away so that his lips were still brushing hers. He paused. "Not without permission or provocation." _Or blood fever_, his beast added. He inwardly winced.

"Oh, but if you're going to take me like that," she whispered very slowly, cupping his cheek. "You have all the p-permission you could ever want."

A growl built up in the back of his throat, and he gripped her hair tightly to stop his hands from cupping her chin again and pouring all that he was into her being. He wanted her so badly...he needed her like a plant needed sunlight. She was his sunlight, his light in the darkness, and he closed his eyes, reminding himself that she was worth more than to be flesh to feed his hunger.

"Don't talk like that," he growled, his voice sounding like an animal's to his ears. "Or I will take you at your word this very moment...I don't want to lose you...or use you so callously...oh, Tawny," he breathed, kissing the top of her head. "The things you stir in me..."

"I wish you could know what I'm thinking," she whispered, kissing his jawline and suckling his skin. His eyes slid shut. "Being had like that is not being used. That's m-making love..." She blushed furiously again and gazed up at him. "One day...I-I w-want to try that with you."

His hands slid up to her jawline again, but he managed to hold on by a thread. "And one day you will know the joy of being she who is my wife," he growled in reply. "Would you help me pack my things?"

"No," she said firmly. "The l-longer it takes you to pack, the l-longer you'll st-stay."

He chuckled softly and kissed her forehead. "Then I will delay for as long as I can..._my beautiful Tawny Townsend._"

He kissed her sweet mouth, and though it was illogical, he thanked whatever deities might be out there that he knew this woman.


	19. New Year's

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and the host of characters), Caren Rose, dinopoodle, and the anon reviewer for reviewing! You guys are stupendous!**_

L'Vek sat down in a chair next to his Meskhenet, sighing very quietly to himself at the level of noise in the establishment. He felt more like himself now, and he liked peace and quiet, but Meskhenet had insisted on indulging the commodore, since, as she claimed, they would have had a different path in life had Forrest not suggested the cultural exchange that put them in closer contact.

A buxom, curvy waitress sauntered over to them, and Forrest greeted her with a warm smile and ordered a beer. Meskhenet ordered a drink called a "tequila sunrise", and he ordered water. Vulcans didn't drink, and he wasn't about to compromise that simply because they were in a place that served alcohol.

"So," the commodore said after a few moments of silence. "When's the wedding?"

Meskhenet fixed him with a sly stare, and he could feel himself relax as he let his eyes roam over his beloved's face. "Within a month. We'll be going to Vulcan for the ceremony."

The commodore raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to do an Earth ceremony?"

His _telsu _smiled and stroked the back of L'Vek's hand with two fingers. "When we get back to Earth, we'll do a friends and family sort of gathering, with a small ceremony. We want to keep this thing low-key, you know." She smiled wanly. "The media would have a field day if they knew the truth."

Forrest chuckled appreciatively. "Yes, they'd hound you down. It seems we're not quite ready for a union like yours, but perhaps, in time...we can grow closer together as a species. You two are taking a huge first step towards that, and I commend you for it."

She smiled at Forrest, and her eyes softened as she looked back to him. "I'm a lucky woman. I often wonder if the High Command has a rule that at least eighty percent of the Vulcans they send to Earth, male and female, have to be incredibly attractive."

Forrest laughed aloud. "Vulcans are..." He trailed off with a wide grin, and L'Vek raised an eyebrow at him.

"We are what, commodore?"

"Well...attractive."

Meskhenet giggled. "I think it's the ears," she murmured to him, and the commodore nodded. L'Vek glanced at his beloved.

"You think my ears are attractive?"

She grinned and leaned forward, looking him in the eye. "_Very much so...very...arousing_," she whispered in Arabic. He let the tiniest smile lift the corners of his mouth, and though the commodore looked completely lost, L'Vek knew what she had said. He had been studying Arabic ever since his fever abated, but he had yet to tell her. He wanted to surprise her when he knew enough to hold a conversation, so he could best his beloved and talk to her in her native tongue, especially concerning intimate matters.

He was brought out of his reverie when the buxom waitress returned with their drinks. The redhead handed a beer to the commodore, a tequila sunrise to Meskhenet, but when she made to hand L'Vek his water, Emmie took it from the waitress.

"I've got it," she said quietly, and the waitress glanced at him. He nodded, dismissing her.

Emmie watched with bright, mischievous eyes as the waitress returned to her place behind the counter, and then she looked at L'Vek with a determined gaze.

"Kuvak told me about that other woman," she whispered to him. She set the water in front of him and smiled. "I don't know the words, but I think you know what this means." She slid the water further toward him, eager for him to take it, and she smiled when he took a long drink.

"Third time's the charm," she said with a satisfied grin, and he felt her fingers wrapping around his, out of the view of the commodore.

Forrest frowned, glancing back and forth between the two of them, and he looked uncertain as to if he should ask or not. L'Vek felt unexpectedly generous, perhaps the pleasure he felt at his Meskhenet renewing herself to him, even though they were bonded and about to become more. _Such a loyal mate...my _ashaya_, my Meskhenet!_

"On Vulcan," he began, and the commodore focused his attention on him, "for a woman to give a male water, or food, or sustenance of any kind...is to offer herself to him as a mate...wife in your language."

Forrest raised an eyebrow. "But you guys are already engaged, right?"

L'Vek couldn't help but smirk slightly. "Yes, more than engaged, by the standards of my people. But she just reaffirmed her loyalty to me." He glanced at his Meskhenet with a warm gaze. "A fact that pleases me greatly," he continued, his voice barely audible, and her eyes darkened in arousal. He let her see a tiny smile on his lips, and he was tempted to touch her. Though, he reminded himself, they were in a public place, and propriety had to be acknowledged, even more so because he had been so lenient with himself during the buildup to fever.

The commodore smiled. "I wish the two of you all the happiness in the world. I think you both will have a happy marriage." He raised his glass a little, in toast, and smiled at the two of them. "To our people, that we grow together in bonds of friendship and loyalty and brotherhood...to the future!"

L'Vek raised his glass in acknowledgment and agreement, and he let his gaze stray to Meskhenet after he took a drink. She was the most beautiful creature on this planet, and he was blessed beyond measure to have her as his wife. She smiled up at him over the rim of her drink, and he let their fingers be joined above the table, where the commodore and everyone could see. The first step toward the future was to let go of fear, and he was not ashamed of his relationship, or of his Meskhenet.

And one day both of their worlds would see that shame and fear were highly illogical.

…

Gardner took another sip of champagne and glared at Meskhenet. She was alive, happy, thriving...and more beautiful than ever. He didn't miss the loving glances she threw toward the Vulcan slime she had with her, and he fumed for ten minutes in the corner, torn between ignoring her, or trying to reason with her. Carter had been a tactless, useless idiot, but Gardner felt he had the skills necessary to convert her. He could at least give it a try. He realized he had been...abrupt with her earlier, and maybe it was time for a softer approach.

She left the Vulcan's side and headed toward the chips and dip, smiling softly to herself as she loaded some hummus onto a plate. He slowly walked toward her and was at her side in a few moments, but she was still busy putting two pitas onto her plate, along with a fork and knife.

"Emmie Sadir," he greeted warmly, and she turned to him with a frown. "Happy New Year."

She bowed her head slightly. "Happy New Year to you too, Gardner. Is it commander?"

"Captain, actually," he said casually, not trying to sound like he was boasting. He was, after all, trying to get on her good side. "Is your Vulcan friend enjoying the holiday?"

"They have something similar on Vulcan, but it's a very somber time, a period of reflection," she replied, tearing off a piece of pita and dipping it in the hummus on her plate. "It's not as...boisterous as our celebrations. But he does find them fascinating."

He nodded. "I'm glad he's having a good time...word on the street is you're...something more than friends."

She chuckled mirthlessly. "Ah, rumor has it! Don't believe everything you hear, Gardner."

"So you're not lovers or anything."

She regarded him with an incredulous eyebrow. "Does that bother you?"

He sighed. "Just curious." He turned and looked toward the band, tapping his foot to the upbeat jazz number they were playing.

"John."

He closed his eyes briefly before turning to her; he never imagined in all his time at Starfleet that she would address him by his first name, and never in that tone of voice. She sounded concerned, almost frightened, and he regarded her with a gentle smile.

"Does that bother you?" she asked again.

He looked down at her. "Who you spend time with is none of my business."

She smiled sympathetically, and her gray eyes shone with sincerity. "But you're worried about me...I appreciate that, John...more than you know."

He swallowed thickly, and her gaze dropped to his lips, and her eyes became briefly hooded. He swallowed again.

"You know," she whispered, leaning a little closer. "I think L'Vek is a very nice man...but..."

"But...?" He hung on her every word.

"There are times...I think there are..._some _people...who have good points to make about the Vulcans..." Her eyes had been fixed on the floor, but then they flicked up to meet his, making a chill run down his spine. "Do you know what I mean, John?"

He could hardly believe it...was she really a sympathizer? Was she some sort of double agent, a sly little fox doing intel on the Vulcans...if he could recruit her, the things she could tell him...

He grinned down at her. "I think I know what you mean...I'm here for you, Emmie, if you need a friend."

She looked relieved. "Thank you, John, that's very considerate. So how's the NX-Alpha coming along?"

He smirked and raised his eyes to Forrest. "I'll let him tell you."

Forrest let the jazz band finish their number, then stepped up to the slender microphone.

"I'm come here this evening to wish you all a Happy New Year," he began, smiling out at the lot of them. "Many thanks to the Media and Communications department, the Programming department, Human Resources, Technical Support...you've all done a fantastic job!"

The room resounded with appreciative applause, and Gardner took another drink.

"So it is my great pleasure," Forrest continued, "to announce tonight that the NX-Alpha will be ready to test in six weeks at the latest!"

He glanced down at Emmie, who had a giddy grin on her face, and he let his eyes roam over her features. She glanced at him with a smoldering gaze, winked, and turned her attention back to Forrest.

Someone handed him a drink, and Gardner quickly poured a flute of champagne for Emmie, but as he turned to hand it to her, the Vulcan got in his way and handed her a flute. Forrest raised his drink, and Gardner handed the champagne to a passing secretary.

"To the future, to exploration, and to progress," he said simply, and the room chanted back, "Hear, hear!"

Gardner downed the rest of his champagne, his mood souring until he saw Emmie glance back at him with a knowing and sympathetic smile. She grinned at him and turned back to the Vulcan, and Gardner nodded to himself. Perhaps she wasn't a mudlicker after all...maybe she was worth saving.

…

Emmie followed L'Vek into their quarters, and she could feel his displeasure through their bond. She sighed and approached him, tried to touch him, but he shrugged her off and turned away from her, sitting cross-legged in his usual meditation spot. She bit her lip and persisted, but gave him some space.

"I know what you must be thinking," she murmured, looking down at the floor. "You think I've betrayed you, that I'm nothing more than a dirty slut who isn't honest at all."

He was silent, and she closed her eyes against the tears building behind her eyes. "L'Vek, hear me out...Gardner gives me the creeps. He's approached me once before about you, and I defended you wholeheartedly...he shut down. He was vague, he didn't let anything on...I have this...gut feeling that he's up to something, but I can't lay my finger on it."

L'Vek was still silent, but she scooted closer to him. "So, tonight, I...I delved into my past and used his own desires against him."

Her _habibi _whipped around and glared at her. "He desires you?"

"_Habibi_, I know when a man's interested...well, unless he's Vulcan." She smiled wryly. "You do know how to confuse a girl, you know. You had me guessing and half-guessing until you started touching me...and then I knew the truth."

"That I am a fool?"

"That you are the only man I have desired to stand by my side as my husband. That you are the only person I have ever loved this deeply. I want to share all that I am with you, so...please listen to me."

He let out an impatient huff of air. "Continue."

She shook her head at the back of his silver head. "If I'm right, L'Vek...than that means that Gardner is dangerous. I'm fairly sure now that he is anti-Vulcan, perhaps anti-alien...I don't know if he's involved in Terra Prime, but it wouldn't surprise me. He's a slimeball and a creep, and he makes me feel more afraid than Carter ever did."

"Then why talk to him as if you desire him?" he countered, his voice nearly a growl. She closed her eyes.

"Like I said...I tried to defend you once, and he clammed up on me. I tried again tonight with a better approach, and he confirmed my suspicions. I don't know...maybe that was really stupid of me...I think that was really, _really _stupid of me...but I need something concrete. Trust me, _ashaya_, I trust him about as far as I can throw him."

He turned around and frowned at her. "I do not think you could throw him that far. He is a human male, and you...I do not believe you have the strength to even lift him."

She grinned and giggled. "Bingo, L'Vek. You understand the axiom more than you realize. It means I don't trust him that much...I don't trust him at all."

She scooted further up to him, so that she was nearly touching his back. "My point, _habibi_...if I'm right, then Gardner is one of many who will try to destroy everything we have. I'm no secret agent, but I figured if my past could make him open up to me...I could pin him in the nose and take steps to have him locked up for good!"

He turned and regarded her with a somber gaze, and she carefully reached out and cupped his cheek, and she was relieved when he let her keep her hand there. "Listen to me, my dearest, my beloved," she whispered, staring at him earnestly, feeding him the fears she had kept in the dark since the bombing. "There are forces at work who would kill us both for what we've done. Have you forgotten what happened only three weeks ago?" She leaned in. "I will not let them take you from me," she growled. "I have waited too long and worked too hard to see you get killed!"

She grinned wryly as his expression hardened, and she could tell she was getting to him. "They play dirty, _habibi_...so I say I will fight back just as hard for my love."

He glanced down at his lap, and she carefully lifted his chin until he met her gaze again. "I hate that I have upset you, and I apologize profusely. I'm so sorry if I've offended you," she whispered desperately. "I only want to defend what we have, and what Kuvak and Tawny are building...if they hurt her..."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she dropped her hand and turned away, but a warm hand cupped her cheek and pulled her back to face him. "Do not weep, _ashaya_," he cooed, pulling her close. "Nothing will befall them. I understand now...and I forgive you." He nuzzled his nose into her hair. "You are...talented, my beloved," he breathed. "You had even me fooled."

"I thought no one could pull the wool over your eyes," she replied into his shirt, holding him tighter. "Forgive me, my love...I want to protect you, but I think that wasn't the best way to do it."

"Perhaps not. But your instincts are sound...he disconcerts me too."

She carefully settled herself into him, and he kissed her forehead. "What is this about your past?" he continued.

She sighed. "You didn't know me in my younger days...to put it bluntly, I was a complete and total bitch."

She raised her head in time to see him frown in confusion, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Excuse me?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I was a conniving, manipulative little bitch. I used my looks to get a lot of things I wanted for free, or discounted...I got free favors, free food, free drinks...don't even get me started on my high school years...had a few run-ins with the law, and had to use my 'skills' to get out of those messes...my mother was about ready to send me to military school."

He narrowed his eyes in curiosity, and she shook her head at him. "I was terrible," she continued. "And I moved here when I was seventeen and stayed a few months with an exchange family. And there, L'Vek, is where my life took a turn for the better, or at least my personality."

He quirked an eyebrow, silent encouragement for her to continue, and she took a deep breath. "The daughter of that family was the sweetest and most innocent human I have ever met," she said with a smile. "She welcomed me as if she had always known me, and was so willing to help me and talk to me and make things easier for me. I resented her at first," she looked down, reliving the memories. "And I moved out into my own place a few months later. But her personality, her happy-go-lucky attitude, despite her shyness and other problems...she haunted me."

She shook her head. "I woke up one day and decided to put behind the bitch in me and become more like that girl. And to this day, I am grateful to know her, to call her my friend."

L'Vek frowned. "Do I know this girl?"

She smiled wryly. "Her name is Tawny Townsend."


	20. Journey On

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and L'Vek, Kuvak, Forrest and S'Vec), Caren Rose, Ahlysha, Nyotarules and the anon reviewer for reviewing! You are spectacular in the extreme, all of you!**_

_**A/N: Thank you so much to Fameanon. Look below, sweetie, and you'll know why. ;)**_

Tawny looked up at Kuvak, biting her lip and lightly touching the box she had hidden in her pocket. They were in the transport station, where a shuttle was waiting to take him to a Vulcan ship.

"S-so...S-so this is goodbye?"

She drew out the box in her pocket and looked him in the eye. He was the only man she knew who had showed the same level of interest in her that she had for him, and it made her want to cry that he was going so soon. She wanted him to stay...it frightened and elated her that it looked like he was extremely pained to leave her. She admitted to herself that she was madly in love with him. She was starting to see a future, not just rambling on the Earth, hoping for something to come her way. She felt she had purpose now, a goal to attain, and it was both extremely complicated and beautifully simple: marry Kuvak.

"This is not goodbye, Tawny Townsend," he murmured. He placed the palm against her cheek. "This is I will see you again soon."

His eyes lit up and his sculpted lips twitched upward as he gazed deeply into her eyes. "Tawny Townsend, we will be together again soon. I promise you this, there is no other out there for me than you, and I will return and you will come to Vulcan." He glanced around, and she followed suit, and there were too many people in the station for her to do what she wished to do.

She shivered at the dark look in his eyes, and she boldly took his hand and led him to a side hallway, then into an empty baggage storage room. She leaned against the wall and pulled him to her, kissing him with a fervor she didn't know she had in her, but it was still bittersweet. The dawn of friendship and deep affection was rising over her heart in regards to him, and it pained her to be parted so soon. If she were honest with herself, she feared time away from her would lessen his regard for her. She feared she was in a one-way relationship, that perhaps he wasn't as in love with her as she was with him.

"S-still, I-I have something f-for you," she breathed, holding up the box. She swallowed thickly and nibbled at his ear and neck as he opened the little black box, and she waited for him to react.

He opened the box, and she pulled away, leaning back against the wall. He breathed in a sharp breath and lifted the pendant (Emmie had called it an IDIC) off its bed of velvet, his eyes darkening further. He pressed the tiny button on the side, opening the locket, and he stared down at her picture nested in the gold casing. She thought she saw tears in his eyes, but he rapidly blinked them away.

"Tawny, this is...most agreeable. What ever made you think to do this?" He pulled it from the confines of the box and began to place it around his neck. He turned around, silently indicating he needed her help to latch the chain.

She took the ends of the chain and latched it, and he turned around, regarding her with an eager gaze, and she leaned back against the wall.

"I-I...I thought y-you m-might like a p-picture of me...o-old-f-fashioned, I-I know, but...you'll have a p-picture of me w-with you always...i-if you where i-it often...i-if you m-miss m-me...j-just o-o-open the locket and..." She bit her lip and let the tears spill down her cheeks. "Oh, Kuvak, I'm going to miss you!" she whispered breathlessly, burying her nose into his neck and breathing him in as if he were oxygen. "I...I-I've fallen q-q-quite hard o-over you..."

He nuzzled his nose into her hair, and she felt him inhale deeply. "I know your scent, Tawny," he said, his voice becoming low, like a growl. "It is the most exquisite thing I have inhaled in all my days. You...you are my soul's twin, Tawny Townsend, my...my life's mate. I feel you and I were destined to meet..." He gazed down into her wide eyes, tenderly lifting her chin. "To be together, as twinned souls," he continued.

She let out a long breath, and she could feel her eyes mist over with new tears. "I l-love t-that s-sentiment..." she whispered in reply, leaning closer so that their lips were almost touching. "With you, I see a brighter future, and my path is very clear to me," she breathed, amazed that she didn't stutter. "With you, I look out at the world, and it is ten times as beautiful. I notice every good thing and think of you, and I want to share all of this with you." She placed both of her hands on his cheeks. "Please...I beg you...do not forget me. Because I can't get you off my mind, and it's driving me crazy."

She glanced down at his hands as he drew something from his robes, the same symbol she had had made into the locket, only much older, ancient even, to which were attached beads. He pressed them into her hands. "This has been in my family for a thousand years. It is my meditation focus...I have poured my thoughts and focus into them. I want you to keep them as a symbol of my promise to you, until I can see you again and propose marriage to you as men do in your culture, and then...I will give you a ring." His hand went to her face and his thumb traced over her lips. "This is how serious I am about you, Tawny."

She felt momentarily as if she couldn't breathe, and she held tightly to the ancient IDIC as she sealed her lips over his, kissing him fiercely as if she would never see him again in her life. A month was not that long in the grand scheme of things, but it felt like a lifetime in her current state. She was a girl, madly in love with a man, and it was all so fresh and new to her, and the pain was just as fresh, just as real as his hands drawing her impossibly closer to his warm, firm body.

His lips tasted succulent, and she memorized the feel of them, slowing her pace and savoring the taste of his warm, soft flesh. He finally pulled away when she heard the boarding call for the shuttle to the Vulcan ship.

"I would marry you now if I could," he breathed into her ear, inhaling her scent again. "Your absence will be keenly, and you have no need to worry that I might forget you." He kissed her cheek and licked desperately at her neck, and she felt his teeth sink slightly into her flesh. She gasped in delight.

"_Yes_," she breathed, so softly she wasn't even sure if he heard it. But his eyes darkened, and he leaned in very close so that their lips brushed as he spoke.

"You will make me late if you continue, Tawny Townsend," he growled softly. "I will extend the courtesy to you to give you time to consider other options. Do not force my hand, or you will be mine, mine alone before you have any true say in the matter." He breathed in her scent one last time and stepped back. "You are mine, Tawny Townsend," he said firmly. "_Mine_. Do not forget that fact, nor forget that I am coming back very soon to take you to Vulcan. L'Vek has my contact information, should the wait become unbearable for you." She thought she saw him smirk, then wince. "Be safe, and be strong...for me."

"I will," she breathed. He rushed forward and took her in his arms once more, and he kissed her swiftly, heatedly, and she sighed into his caress.

He pulled back and backed away, eying her with a dark gaze. "Mine," he whispered one last time, and finally he turned and walked away. She blew a kiss at his back and sent her love and devotion over the space between them.

She was a girl in love...deeply in love...and this month could no go quicker. Already, she was imagining their reunion, even though he was still in her sights, walking further and further away from her, until he boarded the shuttle and was out of her sight.

As he walked away, she felt a tear roll down her cheek, and though she felt as if a thousand chains were weighing down on her shoulders, she felt light and carefree in a way she had never experienced in this measure. She clutched his gift tighter; she was in love, giddy and inebriated with the feeling, despite his parting. He had claimed her...she was his, and his alone. The very thought made her want to dance and sing, and she rushed from the transport station, holding the IDIC to her heart.

_Come for me soon, love_, she whispered across the space growing between them. _Come back to me, and love me._

She closed her eyes and locked the door behind her as she laid on her bed, hardly remembering the trip back home. _Because I love you, I love you, I love you...like the songbird loves to sing, like a puppy loves its master...I'm yours, only yours...my dearest, sweetest love, my Kuvak._

…

V'Las narrowed his eyes at the screen, his gaze raking back and forth over the information Tarmik had sent him. So...L'Vek, head of the Vulcan Advisory Council to Earth, son of T'Hya's clan, had chosen to take a human wife, and she had survived _pon farr _with him...not only survived, but _thrived _on it...he swallowed thickly, pushing down the fear that bubbled up in his chest.

Humans had shown their potential for greatness since the moment Vulcans had made contact with them. They rebounded quickly from their wars and rebuilt their society in a tenth of the time it took the Vulcans to do the same. They were advancing quickly, rapidly expanding beyond their own borders, building vessels for exploration...they were inexplicably resilient, and no matter what restrictions the High Command tried to impose on them, the humans continued to grow and learn and progress...too quickly for comfort...

And now they continued to show their strength, thriving on the fever? _What sort of beings are these humans?_ he asked himself for the hundredth time.

He flared his nostrils and accessed his comm, frowning at the face on the screen.

"You know who I need to talk to." He watched as the screen turned over to the man he needed to talk to, and he bowed his head in respect.

"I have news...I'm not sure how you'll take it, though..."

…

T'Mil strode through the hallways of the Consulate, in search of her nephew's room. She was in conflict; her clan may have a reputation for being progressive, but she wasn't certain of her nephew taking this human bride. She was curious, she admitted to herself, but she was also concerned. If this wasn't a viable match for L'Vek, she would use her power to strip their growing bond and make him marry a Vulcan woman.

All in all, the impression she got from this human woman L'Vek had found would indubitably color her view of her son's supposed intended. T'Via had given a thorough (though biased) report when she returned to Vulcan, and T'Mil was barely able to save the alliance with T'Kal's clan, offering a young daughter of her clan to one of their young sons, assuring a possible future between their families. A part of her, the part she needed to cast out, was appalled at her nephew's (and her son's) behavior...taking human women as wives...what in the name of Surak were they thinking?

And yet, a larger part of her was curious, reminding her that the story of the IDIC had no end, that this was possibly simply another chapter in its story, a first step towards a more intimate future with their human allies. If this human woman was devoted to L'Vek, T'Mil would give the couple her blessing and be on her way. She knew she wouldn't be here very long; even in fever, her nephew was an intelligent man. She trusted him enough to bless his choice, because if his choice kept him well, it was logical to give such a union her blessing.

She rang the doorchime to L'Vek's quarters, and he answered after a few moments. He looked surprised to see her, but he cleared the look from his face and straightened, raising the _ta'al _and offering her the traditional greeting, and she returned with the standard response. He let her inside, and she turned to the woman standing in the middle of the room while L'Vek fetched water for his elderly aunt.

She sized up the woman and quirked an eyebrow at her beauty, her bearing; it was easy to see why L'Vek was drawn to her, at least in physical appeal. She raised the eyebrow further when the woman raised the _ta'al _and bowed her head in greeting, and she looked her straight in the eye as she welcomed T'Mil to Earth.

"Your presence honors me, my lady," she said, her voice ringing with conviction and sincerity. And she had a lovely foreign accent T'Mil had never heard. Quite lovely... "Welcome to my planet. I hope the cold isn't too bothersome. Coming from the desert myself, I know sometimes San Francisco can be unpleasant."

T'Mil let her eyes soften. "I am old, and the cold gnaws at my bones, but the cold and the travel could not keep me from visiting she who will be my nephew's wife." She eyed the woman again, gazing deeply into her clear gray eyes, and she straightened her old back, drawing herself up to her full height. L'Vek came back with water, and T'Mil took it and drank it, handing the empty cup back to her nephew.

"So tell me, Meskhenet Mehvesh Sadir...you helped L'Vek through his Time?"

She bowed her head. "Yes, my lady, I was honored to be of help."

T'Mil nodded. "You were not injured too badly?"

"No," Meskhenet said softly. "I feel fine. A few bruises, a few things sprained...we both came out alive and relatively unharmed, and for that I am grateful."

She let her gaze rake over the woman's features. She really was an attractive human, and already T'Mil could imagine great-nieces and great-nephews with their combined genes...the children would be incredibly attractive, and desirable to the open-minded. T'Mil could feel devotion and love pouring from Meskhenet as L'Vek re-entered the room and offered his fingers to her. She touched him eagerly, drawing herself closer to him, as if she were comforted by his shelter, cheered by his company...loyalty was an excellent quality in a mate...

"You love him?" T'Mil asked boldly, and Meskhenet smiled at her. Not an unpleasant sight on the woman...

"Yes," she whispered, turning to her fiance and touching his cheek with gentle fingers. "With all my heart."

T'Mil nodded. "So be it. If you keep him well, and vow your loyalty to him, then I will see you wed with him in a month's time on Vulcan."

L'Vek could not hide his shock. After a few moments, he spoke. "_I confess, clan mother, I thought your will to be quite different in this matter._"

"_You have been misinformed. My son mistook my apprehension for disapproval. She is a worthy mate for you, L'Vek. She will keep you well._" She regarded her future niece with an approving glance. "Yes, a worthy woman, indeed, L'Vek. You did quite well. And she is a lovely creature..."

Meskhenet blushed and dipped her head low. "My lady is very kind."

She raised an eyebrow. "Good manners, too. Very well. It is logical to see you wed, L'Vek. I look forward to our next meeting, my nephew."

She raised the _ta'al _and departed the embassy quickly, declining Soval's invitation to dine with him. Perhaps another time. She had a wedding to plan.

…

L'Vek strode into his quarters, knowing Meskhenet was near, but she was hiding for some reason. He was just about to summon her via the bond when he noticed a note on the table. It was folded paper, and he opened it, smirking ever so slightly at the graceful handwriting that flowed across the page. He was pleased he had chosen to learn his _telsu's _tongue, so he need not put this note through the translator. There was an intimacy in it, her handwriting beneath his fingers, and he breathed in slowly as he read the note, a bubble of amusement rising in his chest.

_My dearest high-heeled shoe_

_I thank you profusely for breaking _

_right as that attractive Vulcan came up the stairs_

_I threw away my dearest shoe, but think_

_what might have happened had you not failed_

_For once, I am grateful for failure_

_It lead me to success_

_and lead me to that Vulcan's arms_

_My best wishes, and Godspeed, _

_Rest in peace._

He chuckled very quietly to himself and set down the note, and he concentrated on finding his Meskhenet, his wife, as to thank her for the creative love note. He searched all around their suite, and finally found her in the bathroom.

She smiled at him as he entered and accepted his hand, and he led her to the bed, laying her tenderly back so he could lavish his kisses on her creamy, tanned skin.

"I thank thee, wife, for the note. Most creative, and amusing," he purred, licking her ear, aware of how much pleasure it brought her. He would bring her much more pleasure this night; she made his blood boil with desire, and was more than willing to satiate those desires. She integrated him into a wonderful world of exploration, and for the first time in his life, he experienced intercourse outside of the fever. It was the most glorious thing in the world, and what made it all the more glorious was the look of love and devotion on her face when he made love to her.

"Hold me the way you did all those months ago," she whispered, stroking his cheek. "Hold me like you held me in the stairwell."

He obligingly wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her gently, relishing the feeling of love she was pouring through their bond. She gazed into his eyes, letting her fingers wander over his face, and he gazed back, in awe of the depth of feeling she held for him, and he for her. _My Meskhenet..._

"If I live another fifty years gazing into those eyes of yours," she purred, stroking his ear now, "it still won't be enough."

He lightly kissed her lips. "My Meskhenet...I cherish thee, and will cherish thee until we are parted."

She smiled and cupped his cheek, and he was awash in her love. "Rejoice with me this night, my love." Her smile turned mischievous, and she smirked up at him. "Thank you very much for catching me, Mr. Adviser."

He growled and bit her neck. "My pleasure, Meskhenet Mehvesh Sadir...she who is my wife."

_**A/N: A very big thanks to everyone who reviewed this work. Wow...I didn't expect the story that was just for kicks to get this much support. Thank you all so much, but especially my dearest Fame for her special reviews and for being a great muse! You rock, sweetheart!**_

_**Look for the sequel to this story, following Kuvak and Tawny.**_


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